Maple Brined Pork Chops

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 pork chops
  • olive oil for grilling

Brine

  • 4 qts hot water
  • 8-10 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tsp whole peppercorns
  • 6-8 whole bay leaves
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • ¾ cup sea salt
  • 2 cups dark brown sugar
  • 3 large thyme sprigs

Maple Sweet Potatoes

  • 4 sweet potatoes
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • salt
  • pepper

How-to

Brine the Pork Chops

  1. Bring 4 qts of water to a boil.  Add garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, maple syrup, salt and brown sugar.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.  Add thyme.  Let cool.  Can add ice to speed up the cooling process
  2. Pour cooled brine over pork chops, let sit for 24 hours in the refrigerator, turning the chops once or twice. Then remove pork chops and pat dry before grilling

Prepare the Maple Sweet Potatoes

  1. Peel, boil and drain the sweet potatoes, then mash
  2. Add the cream and maple syrup until the desired consistency

Grill Pork Chops & Serve

  1. Add a little olive oil to one side of pork chops. Grill 5-10 minutes per side, or until a nice sear (crust) forms.  Let chops rest, about 2-3 minutes then serve with Maple Sweet Potatoes