WHAT’S COOKING
food
t o p c h o p s
Elizabeth says,
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS JULY2009
153
“ Brining increases
juiciness and flavor. Try
this and you’ll never cook
a dry pork chop again.
Before grilling, lightly
brush meat with olive oil,
but
don’t
add more salt.”
apple cider brine for pork
Because the pork will be soaked in a salty
solution, Elizabeth recommends buying
chops that have not been preseasoned.
PREP: 30 MIN. MARINATE: 6 HR. GRILL: 11 MIN.
2
cups cold water
1
cup kosher salt
1
cup packed light brown sugar
2
tsp. dried thyme, or
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1
tsp. whole black peppercorns
1
tsp. whole cloves
4
cups unfiltered apple cider
2
cups ice cubes
4
3/4-inch-thick pork chops
Olive oil
Miniature sweet peppers (optional)
Sliced French bread (optional)
1
.
For apple cider brine, in large saucepan
over medium heat bring water, salt, brown
sugar, thyme, peppercorns, and cloves to
boiling. Cook, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes,
stirring occasionally until sugar and salt
are dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in
apple cider and ice cubes. Cool.
2.
Place pork chops in extra-large
resealable plastic bag. Pour cooled brine
on chops; seal bag. Refrigerate 6 to 12
hours, turning bag occasionally to
marinate evenly. Drain chops; discard
brine. Pat chops dry w ith paper towels.
Lightly brush chops w ith olive oil.
3.
For charcoal grill, place oiled chops on
rack directly over medium coals. Grill,
covered, 11 to 13 minutes or until chops are
slightly pink in center and juices run clear
(160°F), turning once halfway through
grilling. (For gas, heat grill. Reduce heat to
medium. Grill as above.)
4.
Brush peppers and bread slices w ith
olive oil. Add peppers to grill w ith chops.
Grill directly over heat about 8 minutes,
turning occasionally, until tender. Add
bread to grill during last 2 to 4 minutes of
grilling, turning once. Serve chops w ith
peppers and bread. MAKES 4 SERVINGS.
each SERVING224
cal,
6
gfat
(2
gsat. fat),
105
mg chol,
1,481
mg sodium,
5
g carbo,
0
g fiber,
33
g pro. Daily Values:
2
% calcium,
7
% iron.
ffl
TH E
\ 1
. See your hometown chef in the pages of
j
Better Homes and
Gardens® magazine.
nO\\
L -O V " “
Television’s
Live! with Regis and Kelly
is
GU\H--
with Regis and Kelly
is
kicking off a summer-long contest:
The Ultimate Hometown Grill-Off. Go to
LiveRegisandKelly.com
for complete rules and to
nominate your best-loved grilling or barbecue dish from a
favorite restaurant in your area. You’ll have a chance to win a
prize and see your hometown chef compete against other
chefs from around the country. The winner will be featured in
a future issue of
Better Homes and Gardens
® magazine.
t ec h n iq u e tip
Direct grilling means
cooking directly over
coals or gas flame. It’s
best suited for
thin cuts of
meat, like
these chops,
which require
less than 20
minutes
cooking time.
