Grilled Brined Pork Chops with Garlic-Herb Oil
By Matthew FairmanPublished on April 30, 2024
Time
1½ hours, plus 2 hours brining
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
You can use pork chops that are slightly over or under the weight range as long as they measure about 1 inch thick. These pork chops are very flavorful after 2 hours of brining, but if you have the time, you can brine them for up to 24 hours; the longer they brine, the more the flavors will come through. We include neutral-tasting vodka in the brine to extract flavors from the alcohol-soluble aromatics, but you can substitute an equal amount of water. You can serve these chops whole or sliced.
Instructions
- Combine 6 cups cold water, sugar, ¼ cup salt, vodka, 4 teaspoons ground fennel, 4 teaspoons rosemary, smashed garlic, 1 tablespoon pepper, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 tablespoon pepper flakes, and lemon zest in large bowl. Whisk to dissolve sugar and salt. Submerge pork chops in brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Combine oil, remaining ground fennel, remaining 2 teaspoons rosemary, remaining 2 minced garlic cloves, remaining 1 teaspoon pepper, remaining ½ teaspoon oregano, remaining ½ teaspoon pepper flakes, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in small saucepan. Heat oil mixture over medium heat until sizzling and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in lemon juice. Transfer garlic-herb oil to small bowl and refrigerate until ready to grill pork.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Transfer chops to prepared rack and thoroughly pat dry, removing any whole spices with paper towels. Cut slits about 2 inches apart through fat around each chop. Refrigerate chops on rack, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s).
- While grill heats, microwave garlic-herb oil until just warm, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer 2 tablespoons garlic-herb oil to small bowl for brushing chops; reserve remaining garlic-herb oil for serving.
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Grill chops (covered if using gas) on hotter side of grill until well browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Move chops to cooler side of grill. Stir garlic-herb oil for brushing to recombine, then brush onto tops of chops. Grill chops, covered, until meat registers 135 degrees, 3 to 7 minutes. Transfer chops to platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve with reserved garlic-herb oil.
Time
1½ hours, plus 2 hours briningYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Making a truly memorable grilled pork chop—one that’s exceptionally juicy, tender, and flavorful—takes care. We chose 1-inch-thick bone-in rib chops (T-bone-style center-cut chops also work very well). The well-marbled meat around the bone is more flavorful than the relatively lean loin, and the bone helps safeguard against overcooking. Chops thinner than 1 inch cooked through too fast to achieve enough browning on the grill. We brined our chops in an aromatic mix of water, salt, sugar, neutral-tasting vodka, and the seasonings that make up the classic profile of Italian sausage (fennel seeds, garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes). The added alcohol helped coax out the full spectrum of flavors from the garlic and spices, since some of their flavor compounds more readily dissolve in alcohol than in just water. Setting up our grill with hotter and cooler zones allowed us to sear the chops over the flames and then gently finish cooking them over indirect heat. To take advantage of the fat-soluble flavors, we sizzled a portion of the aromatics in olive oil to create a delectable garlic-herb oil for finishing the chops.
Before You Begin
You can use pork chops that are slightly over or under the weight range as long as they measure about 1 inch thick. These pork chops are very flavorful after 2 hours of brining, but if you have the time, you can brine them for up to 24 hours; the longer they brine, the more the flavors will come through. We include neutral-tasting vodka in the brine to extract flavors from the alcohol-soluble aromatics, but you can substitute an equal amount of water. You can serve these chops whole or sliced.
Instructions
- Combine 6 cups cold water, sugar, ¼ cup salt, vodka, 4 teaspoons ground fennel, 4 teaspoons rosemary, smashed garlic, 1 tablespoon pepper, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 tablespoon pepper flakes, and lemon zest in large bowl. Whisk to dissolve sugar and salt. Submerge pork chops in brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Combine oil, remaining ground fennel, remaining 2 teaspoons rosemary, remaining 2 minced garlic cloves, remaining 1 teaspoon pepper, remaining ½ teaspoon oregano, remaining ½ teaspoon pepper flakes, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in small saucepan. Heat oil mixture over medium heat until sizzling and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in lemon juice. Transfer garlic-herb oil to small bowl and refrigerate until ready to grill pork.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Transfer chops to prepared rack and thoroughly pat dry, removing any whole spices with paper towels. Cut slits about 2 inches apart through fat around each chop. Refrigerate chops on rack, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s).
- While grill heats, microwave garlic-herb oil until just warm, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer 2 tablespoons garlic-herb oil to small bowl for brushing chops; reserve remaining garlic-herb oil for serving.
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Grill chops (covered if using gas) on hotter side of grill until well browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Move chops to cooler side of grill. Stir garlic-herb oil for brushing to recombine, then brush onto tops of chops. Grill chops, covered, until meat registers 135 degrees, 3 to 7 minutes. Transfer chops to platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve with reserved garlic-herb oil.
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