Pickle Juice-Brined Pork Chops
Did you know that the leftover juice in your pickle jar makes a fantastic brine for tender, juicy pork chops? Terrific, right? And to be honest, it's even better than it sounds.
Ingredients
- Four (10-ounce) bone-in pork chops (about 3/4-inch | 2 cm thick)
- 1 1/2 cups dill pickle juice from a 24-ounce (710 ml) jar
- Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sunflower or other mild-tasting oil
- 16 fresh dill sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- Place the pork chops in shallow dish and pour the pickle juice over. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Drain off and discard the brine. Pat the pork chops dry and season with salt and pepper.
- In a large cast-iron skillet set over medium-high heat, warm the oil until shimmering but not smoking. If using the dill sprigs, press half onto 1 side of the pork chops. Place the pork chops, dill-side down, in the skillet and cook until browned and crisp on that first side, about 3 minutes. Press the rest of the dill on the top side of the pork chops and flip. Immediately transfer the skillet to the oven.
- Roast the pork chops for about 10 minutes, until the meat springs back when you give it a forceful poke with your finger, 145°F (60°C) on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion. The timing will vary somewhat depending on the thickness of your chops.
- Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before digging in.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 1467mg | Fiber: 0.01g