Pickle Juice Brined Pork Chops Recipes

PICKLE SCHNITZEL-PICKLE-BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH SWEET AND SPICY PEPPERS

Steps:

• Combine the pickle juice, pepper juice and pork chops in a large zipper-top bag. Brine at least overnight and at most 24 hours, flipping the bag halfway through.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toss the piquante peppers, bell peppers and onions with the olive oil in a bowl. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast until slightly charred and soft, about 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 200 degrees F and keep warm until ready to serve.
• Take the chops out of the bag (discard the brine) and dry them off with paper towels. Place a chop between plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until 1/2 inch thick. Make sure you pound around the bone but keep the bone intact; this adds flavor and plating dramatics. Repeat with the remaining chops.
• Set up an F. E. B. station with flour, egg and breadcrumbs in separate shallow containers; season the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper. Season each chop with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour, coat with the egg and then coat in the breadcrumbs, ensuring the breadcrumbs adhere to all the nooks and crannies.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the vegetable oil and heat until very hot. Working in 2 batches, fry the chops 2 at a time until golden on each side, 4 to 5 minutes a side. Keep the chops warm on a wire-racked baking sheet in the oven while you repeat with the remaining chops.
• Plate each chop over a serving of the peppers and onions and serve with 2 lemon wedges to squeeze on top.

PICKLE-BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH MUSHROOM ESCABECHE AND SMASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• For brining the pork chops: Combine the salt, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, lemon peels and parsley with 3 quarts water in a large pot or bowl and whisk together. Add the pork chops, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning once halfway through. This may seem like a long time, but these are seriously big pork chops. Brining will make your pork so tender and flavor it throughout.
• For the smashed potatoes: Place the potatoes in large pot and cover with salted cold water. The potatoes will soak up that salt like pasta and it will make a big difference in flavor. Cover and bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes, and return them to the same pot, allowing them to dry. Melt the butter with the half-and-half in a small saucepot over low heat. Add to the potatoes along with the cream cheese and season with salt and pepper. Smash with a potato masher and set aside, keeping warm until ready to serve.
• For the mushroom escabeche: Heat the canola oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until lightly browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and reserve. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepot over medium heat and saute the garlic and shallots until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar, chili flakes and lemon zest and juice. Bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Return the reserved mushrooms to the pot, toss to combine and absorb all of that flavor. Garnish with parsley.
• For preparing the pork chops: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Remove the chops from the brine and dry completely with paper towels. Drizzle with canola oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place the chops on the grill and sear until browned, 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a sheet tray and finish cooking in the oven until an internal temperature reaches 135 to 140 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes.
• Serve the pork chops over the smashed potatoes and top with the mushrooms.

PORK CHOPS WITH DILL PICKLE MARINADE

Steps:

• Arrange pork chops in a shallow dish. Cover with pickle juice. Marinate in refrigerator at least one hour, but I recommend from 8 to 24 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil grate.
• Drain pork chops and discard marinade. Cook the pork chops on the preheated grill until no longer pink in the center, 6 to 8 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).