About this Recipe

By: Kevin Clayton

When I began cooking, the pork chop was the first meat I introduced into the rotation. I was determined to make it a staple in my diet! I am not exactly sure why I chose pork chops over any other cut of meat. One reason may have been the extremely low cost (I was a very broke 20 year old at the time). Or perhaps it was the health conscious side of my brain chiming in, as pork chops are such a great source of lean, high quality protein. But mainly, I just think I had never really experienced a great pork chop, but somewhere inside I knew lay some terrific untapped potential.

I highly recommend brining pork chops, due to the lower fat content. Brining will help introduce flavor into the meat, while also protecting the meat from drying out. Most of what we perceive as moisture in meat, generally is fat. Because of this, lean cuts present us with a major disadvantage. To help combat the low fat content, we brine!

Brining is a very simple process. At its roots, It consists of a solution of 4 cups water, 3 tablespoons salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar. You can also add some aromatics to the brine like bay leaf, garlic, and even paprika (but not a requirement). Add all ingredients to the water and mix well to combine (I usually do so in a gallon size ziplock bag). Submerge the meat in the brine and move to fridge. The size of the meat will impact overall brining time, but the general rule is about one hour per pound. Brining for too long can cause the meat to break down more than desired, which can result in mushy meat. 

Ingredients

Brine pork chops for 2-4 hours. Remove from brine, rinse, and pat dry. Rub 1 tbsp of olive oil over pork chops. Season with salt, and BBQ rub. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to griddle or cast iron skillet and heat to medium-high heat (set smoker to 225 while pan is coming up to temperature). Add pork chops and sear for 2-3 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Transfer to pellet grill and smoke for ~45 minutes @ 225, spritzing every 15 minutes. Once internal temperature reaches 145, remove pork chops, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.