Tuscan Brined Pork Chops with Salsa Verde
How to make the juiciest pork chops. it's easy to do with Italian-style seasonings, salt and sugar.
Ingredients
- 4 (1 kg) thick-cut pork rib chops 1 ½ inches thick 9-10 ounces each
- ½ cup (145 g) kosher salt
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
- 3 crushed garlic cloves
- 4 crumbled bay leaves
- 2 sprigs rosemary roughly chopped, plus 1 tablespoon chopped
- 2 dried red chili peppers crumbled
- Zest of one lemon peeled with a vegetable peeler
- Freshly ground black pepper
Salsa Verde:
- 1 loosely packed cup Italian parsley leaves
- 1 loosely packed cup cilantro leaves
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons capers rinsed
- ¾ cup (175 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Put the pork chops in a gallon-size freezer bag and place the bag in a large bowl.
- In another large bowl whisk the salt and sugar with 6 cups water until dissolved. Add the garlic, bay leaves, rosemary sprigs, chili and lemon zest. Pour the brine over the pork. Seal bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
- Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill.
- Remove chops from brine and pat dry. Place chops on the grill and cook 4 minutes per side. They should be nicely browned and register between 135-140 degrees on a meat thermometer.
- Loosely cover the chops with foil and let rest 5 minutes. Season with black pepper to taste and sprinkle with chopped rosemary. Serve with Salsa Verde.
To make Salsa Verde:
- Pulse parsley and cilantro in a food processor until chopped. Add garlic, capers, olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt and pulse until combined. Taste and season with additional salt if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 677kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 29gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 776mgPotassium: 565mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 149IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1mg