Thick-Cut Pork Chops with Apples

Name: Thick-Cut Pork Chops with Apples
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 1 l (1 qt) water; 50 g (2¾ tbsp) fine sea salt, 5% brine; 1 tbsp sugar; 4 (10 oz each) bone-in pork chops, 3 cm thick, about 300 g each; freshly ground black pepper; 1 tbsp neutral oil; 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter; 3 sprigs thyme or sage; 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed; 2 firm apples, Braeburn or Cox, in wedges; 1 red onion, in thin wedges; 100 ml (scant ½ cup) apple cider or chicken stock; 1 tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard; 1 tsp cider vinegar

Brined, seared and basted chops, juicy and blush-pink at the bone

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 25 min
Total: 1 h 15 min
Level: Easy

Most pork chops are overcooked because they're thin and cooked to the old guidelines. A thick, bone-in chop, briefly brined, seared hard and pulled at 60°C (140°F) to rest up to the safe 63°C (145°F), is juicy and tender. Apples and onion cooked in the pan fat make the side and the sauce.

Ingredients

Brine

1 lwater (1 qt)
50 gfine sea salt (2¾ tbsp)5% brine
1 tbspsugar

Chops

4bone-in pork chops, 3 cm thick (10 oz each)about 300 g each
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbspneutral oil
30 gunsalted butter (2 tbsp)
3 sprigsthyme or sage
2 clovesgarliclightly crushed

Apples

2firm applesBraeburn or Cox, in wedges
1red onionin thin wedges
100 mlapple cider or chicken stock (scant ½ cup)
1 tspDijon or wholegrain mustard
1 tspcider vinegar

Diet: Gluten-free
Allergens: milk, mustard, celery, sulphites
Season: Autumn, Winter

Method

Stir the salt and sugar into the water until dissolved. Submerge the chops and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes, no longer. 45 min
Remove the chops, rinse briefly and pat very dry. Season with pepper. Score the fat rim at 2 cm intervals so the chops don't curl.
Heat the oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Hold the chops fat edge down with tongs to render and brown the fat, 2 minutes. Lay them flat and sear until deep golden, 3–4 minutes. 6 min
Turn, lower the heat to medium and add the butter, thyme and garlic. Baste with the foaming butter, turning every minute, until a thermometer in the center (not touching bone) reads 60°C (140°F), 4–6 minutes more. 5 min
Rest the chops on a board for 5–8 minutes. They will rise to the safe 63°C (145°F) and stay rosy and juicy — pork no longer needs to be cooked gray. 6 min
Meanwhile, add the apples and onion to the pan and cook over medium heat until golden and just tender, 5–6 minutes. Add the cider, mustard and vinegar and bubble until syrupy, 2 minutes. Season. 8 min
Serve the chops with the apples and the pan juices, adding any resting juices.

Why it works

A short brine seasons the meat and dissolves some of its muscle proteins so it holds more moisture during cooking — a real safety net for lean pork. A thick chop gives time to build a crust before the center overcooks. Modern pork is safe at 63°C (145°F) with a 3-minute rest, so pulling at 60°C and resting leaves it blush-pink and juicy.

Common mistakes

Thin chops, which overcook before they brown. Buy chops at least 2.5 cm thick.
Over-brining; more than 2 hours makes the meat ham-like and spongy.
Not drying after brining. Wet chops won't sear.

Variations

Pan sauce: Instead of the apples, make Five-Minute Pan Sauce with stock and a splash of cream.
Grilled: Grill over direct medium-high heat 4–5 minutes a side to 60°C (140°F).

Make ahead and storage

Brine and dry the chops up to 4 hours ahead and keep uncovered in the fridge.

Notes

If your chops are pre-brined ("enhanced"), skip the brine and season with 1% salt.