Buttermilk-Brined Pork Chops
After posting a recipe recently for buttermilk roasted chicken (Roast Chicken for Tomorrow), my crazy friend Deb mentioned that she had been making buttermilk-brined pork chops forever! I decided to give it a go and the results were extraordinary! Just like the chicken, the buttermilk tenderized the pork, kept it moist during the cooking process and flavored it beautifully. This easy recipe is a keeper!
Combining buttermilk with brown sugar, garlic, bay leaves and hot sauce creates a tangy delicious brine for the center-cut bone-in pork chops to swim in for a bunch of hours. A quick sear on the grill will caramelize the chops and dinner is served!
Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a ziplock bag or shallow bowl. Add the chops and make sure that they are completely submerged. Refrigerate the pork chops for at least 8 hours. You can leave them overnight as well for up to 24 hours!
Remove them from the brine, rinse them and then pat them dry. Rub some olive oil, salt and pepper all over them and let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.
Preheat a grill to medium high and grill the chops for 5-7 minutes per side. It might take longer or shorter, depending on how thick the chops are, so it’s best to use an instant-read thermometer. It should reach 145°F.
You can also bake the chops in the oven, pan-fry them or air-fry them. For these instructions, check out the recipe.
Let the pork chops rest off the grill for 5 minutes for the juices to absorb back into the meat. Sprinkle a little parsley over the top, if you feel like it, and serve these delicious chops!
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Buttermilk-Brined Pork Chops
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Grill Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes plus brine time 8 hours minimum
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 tsp hot sauce (or 1 tsp red pepper flakes + 1 tsp vinegar)
- 4 bone-in, center-cut pork chops
- Kosher salt (or all purpose seasoning)
- freshly ground pepper (or peppercorns)
Instructions
Mix buttermilk, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, bay leaves, and hot sauce together in a large shallow bowl or ziplock bag. Add the pork chops to the brine, ensuring they are completely submerged. If using a bowl, cover it. Refrigerate pork chops in brine for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
Remove the pork chops from the brine. Discard the brine. Rinse the pork chops and dry with paper towels.
Rub or brush pork chops with two tablespoons of olive oil then season with salt and pepper or all-purpose seasoning. Let the meat sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes.
Preheat grill to medium high heat (about 375°) and lightly brush the grates with vegetable oil. Grill pork chops for 5-7 minutes per side over direct heat, depending on the thickness of the chops.
Use a meat thermometer to take the internal temperature of the largest pork chop. Pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
Let pork rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Chef’s Notes:
For other methods of cooking the pork chops, see below (my favorite method is grilling them).
To pan fry pork chops:
Preheat your skillet (cast iron is perfect for this!) on medium high heat and add 1/4″ of cooking oil. Gently add pork chops to the skillet without overcrowding them. If your skillet is too small, fry them in batches.
Cook for 4-5 minutes per side. Use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the meat. Pork chops are done when they reach an internal temperature of 145º
To air fry pork chops:
Preheat your air fryer to 400º for 5 minutes. Cook pork chops in air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes.
Use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the meat. Pork chops are done when they reach an internal temperature of 145º
To bake pork chops:
Preheat the oven to 375º. Place the pork chops in an oven safe dish and bake for 15 minutes.
Use a meat thermometer o take the internal temperature of the largest pork chop. Pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145º.
To give the pork chops a golden, seared look, place them under a broiler for 2-3 minutes.
Recipe from The Feathered Nester
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