Molasses-Brined and Grilled Pork Chops + Variations

This has been my favorite pork chop (or pork tenderloin, or pork loin) recipe for years, and I make one or another of the variations about 90% of the time. It's pretty simple if you plan ahead for the brining step.

Rita

MOLASSES BRINED AND GRILLED THICK PORK CHOPS with VARIATIONS

Makes 6 servings. This is a great mix-and-match approach to pork chops, pork tenderloin, or pork loin. Brine the chops and grill as they are, or use any one or two of the options. If you're doing boneless chops, serve them thinly sliced, with the Cider Jus. As one variation, grill the brined chops and apply the rosemary-balsamic glaze just before they come off the grill. Another variation is to press crushed seeds into both sides of the brined chops and grill; serve plain or with the glaze or the Cider Jus.

MOLASSES BRINE (Brining can be done the day before grilling.)

Makes 2 quarts, enough for 6 (1 1/4–1 1/2-inch-thick) center-cut loin pork chops OR 4 pork tenderloins (1–1 1/4 pounds each, OR one 4–6-pound boneless double pork loin.

1 quart water
1 cup Diamond kosher salt
1/4 cup pickling spices
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
10 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bulb ginger, grated

1/4 cup (82 g) molasses
32 ounces of ice cubes

6 bone-in or boneless pork chops, 1 1/4–1 1/2” thick

MAKE AND COOL BRINE. In a saucepan, combine the water, salt, spices, thyme, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Stir in molasses and ice cubes to chill the brine quickly. Place the chops in a 1-gallon freezer bag, add the cooled brine, and squeeze all of the air out of the bag while sealing it. Place the bag in a bowl.

BRINE pork chops for 4–6 hours, butterflied tenderloin for 2 hours, whole tenderloin for 6–8 hours, and the larger pork loin for 1-3 days. Wipe spices off the chops and dry well with paper towels.

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OPTIONAL RUB/CRUST (per chop - I usually use a little more): This is delicious even if you don’t glaze. Coat chops with seed mix and press in. Then coat chops with olive oil before grilling.

1/4 teaspoon of each seed, crushed: fennel, yellow mustard seed, coriander seed, and cracked black pepper (or a 4 peppercorn mix)

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OPTIONAL ROSEMARY-BALSAMIC GLAZE:

2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons very finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup (1.2 oz, 36 g) brown sugar
1/4 cup (2.3 oz, 65 g) balsamic vinegar

Combine garlic, rosemary, brown sugar, and vinegar in small saucepan over high heat; bring just to a boil. Turn heat to low and cook 5 minutes more, until brown sugar has dissolved and sauce has thickened slightly. It will thicken further as it cools. Set aside.

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OPTIONAL CIDER JUS. Place the sauce in a squeeze bottle and “paint” the pork chop and the plate with the glaze. (Makes about 1 cup jus, or about fourteen 1-tablespoon servings.)

3/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 medium shallot, sliced, (about 15g)
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh sage or rosemary, chopped
12 ounces regular strength veal or pork stock,
OR 3 tablespoons (55g) Demi-Glace Gold plus 12 oz (340 g) water
1 teaspoon (5g) butter per 1 tablespoon portion, optional
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large saucepan, combine the apple concentrate, vinegar, shallots, and sage. Bring to a boil. Reduce to about 1/4–1/3 cup, until slightly thickened and syrupy and beginning to foam.

2. Add the veal or pork stock and reduce by half, to about 1 cup. Jus will thicken quite a bit as it cools.

3. STRAIN back into the same saucepan, pressing the solids (shallots) through the sieve.

4. FREEZE what’s not needed in 1-tablespoon portions in an ice cube tray (add the butter when reheating).

5. Slowly whisk in the butter (optional) and season to taste.
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TO GRILL:

1. Dry the meat well. Coat lightly with olive or canola oil.
GRILL over direct/medium heat. I aim for about 140°--142°F internal, slightly pink after resting.

2. GLAZE THE PORK CHOPS (Optional): Brush the browned sides with glaze after flipping the chops. When the second side is done, flip, brush, immediately turn again, and grill for a few seconds to set the glaze. Remove from the grill.

3. REST: Wrap chops with plastic wrap (Saran Premium only) or foil and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing on the bias (if boneless) into 1/4-inch thick slices (an electric knife does the job neatly).
MEANWHILE, GRILL ANY SIDE DISHES such as corn, zucchini, polenta…….etc.

Rita - quick question on the quantity of the ginger in the brine. When you say "bulb of ginger" is this the whole section as in about the size of my palm or one node as in 2-4 TBS??

Thanks getting the chops in the brine tonight and wanted make sure I'm using the right amount.

Ray, that wasn't too clear, was it? For the one bulb measurement, I'd use about 9 slices ginger, about 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick or so, smashed. It really doesn't have to be too precise. If you think you have too much in there already, you can fish some out but I wouldn't worry, as you'll just have a little more ginger flavor. Next time you can adjust if it is too much for your taste. It shouldn't ruin the dish.

Rita

Thanks Rita! You pretty much confirmed my suspicions after tasting. Took it as meaning one "lobe" And I like ginger anyway ;-) Thanks for getting back to me. Chops are out after 6 hrs. They're pretty thick so left them in for the full 6.

Thanks for the other tips, always good to have extra.

I plan on doing the rbv glaze and the crust for the grill. Also making the cider jus. Couldn't find any veal or pork stock, so probably going to use chicken stock or mix of chicken/vegetable stock. Unless I find some later today.

Started a day ahead to try out Rita’s favorite chops recipe. Made up the brine and gave the center cut 1.5 inch chops a swim for 6 hours.

Made up all of her “options” rub, glaze, and jux today. Have to tell you I wanted to drink the glaze and the jux, it was so good.

I want to lay the chops on a cabbage bed “a la Kruger” so made up a brazing liquid that I thought would “fuse” the various ingredients. ½ cup stock and ½ cup aj concentrate with some sage, rosemary, dried onion, dried garlic, s&p, some balsamic and some brown sugar and a pinch of fresh rosemary. Heated all to a boil and strained can’t say I reduced it that much. Cored, peeled and chopped 2 apples and half a head of Napa cabbage. Caremlized the Apples in a couple Tbs of ghee, then tossed in the brazing liquid and the cabbage and tossed until tender.

Took the chops out of the brine and rinsed after 6 hr. and kept in the fridge in a zip lock bag (any air was removed). Pulled from the fridge an hour or so from the cook and coated with the rub and then into plastic wrap for 20 minutes, then out to apply a coating of EVOO then another 10 minute set while getting things ready. This time was planned to let them sit out of the fridge and come up to room temp, as well as allow me to defrost some garlic mashed potatoes from a previous cook (vac sealed). I plan to apply some of the jux to those during the plating. The other side will be some verts left from yesterdays roadside chicken cook.

For desert I made up some coconut ice cream, basically it’s coconut custard ice cream (touch of cinammon in the mix) and I am having a hard time keeping away from it right now.

Took a 1/2 cup of the jux and added about 3 TBS of butter, reheated and whisked in. I want to use this for the potatoes and the finshed chops, and have a little on the side as a “dipper” or “adder” as Rita suggested. I did take the liberty to add a couple of pinches of the rub to the mix as as well as a pinch of rosemary.

So all is done, we didn’t get to the coconut custard ice cream – since everything else was just so dxxxm good. Maybe we will get to that later tonight. Have to say that this recipe has now become a standard and one that I will make special for friends. You need to do yourself a favor and give it a try. I suggest that you make all of the “options” for the full experience.

Thanks again to Rita for a great day in the kitchen as well as the fantastic meal it made possible!!

Pics:

Rita Y Chops

Ray, I'm happy that you enjoyed the recipe. You took it to new heights and the cabbage à la Kruger was a great choice for a side. Loved your personal tweaks. I’ll be putting your approach into my notes today. Next time, try it with pork tenderloin. It’s as good or even better.

I have to say, anyone reading your post would see that you really loved to cook and that you’re an inspired cook at that! Thanks for such an enthusiastic update and also for the great photos!

Rita

P.S. I see by the wood-grained handles that you have the same saucepans that I have had and loved for ages. I think they were one of the first pans that had the clad running up the sides as well as the bottom of the pans. I understand that it almost put the company under. They were a little ahead of their time, at that time.

Rita - thanks. You're one of the heavy hitters on this site as far as I'm concerned and folks like you have given me so many ideas.

Yes - I will be trying this with other cuts that's for certain.

AFA the cookware. Yes - we love these. Got them as our wedding present 27 years ago and they are still cranking. 3 Sauce Pans, a double boiler, large two handled pot and a 10" skillet. I only wish I picked up another skillet or two. Surprised that the wood has held up as long as it has. I think they said you could put them in the dishwasher (we don't).

I picked up a package of thick cut boneless pork chops, and looking for some tips on cooking them lead me to this thread.

I'm sure glad it did! Excellent stuff Rita - thanks!

I had everything but on hand for the brine and glaze except the pickling spices, which I left out, but I forged on with everything else.

Brined the chops for about six hours, then dried them, coated thinly with olive oil, and put them on the kettle over a fire of RO lump.

Added the glaze right at the end then put them on a platter and covered with foil to rest for about 10 minutes while I finished the sides.

They had amazing looking sear marks, and the glaze looked and tasted great.

The internal temps seemed to really go up in a hurry towards the end of the cook, so a couple of them were a little north of my target of 142 when I pulled them. Not the touch of pink that I was shooting for, but still very tender and moist.

One question - After coming out of the brine and getting rinsed I realized that I had too much meat for us to eat (there were eight chops inthe package and they were big ones!) so I vac-sealed four of them and put them in the freezer. Normally I would freeze them prior to brining - is this likely to have any adverse effects on them? After defrosting, will they still benefit from being brined prior to freezing?

Thanks again for a great recipe. I'll plan ahead a little better next time by looking for pickling spices (is there a substitute for that?) and the ingredient for the jus as well.

Made this again yesterday with a couple of pork tenderloins.

This time around I had all of the ingredients on hand necessary to make everything - the brine, the crust, the glaze, and the jus.

Excellent recipe! When the tenderloins got to 140 I hit them with the glaze, then rested them while I stir fried some zuchinni, green peppers, and onions that were marinated in evoo, salt, and fresh black pepper (and a pinch of Emeril's Bayou Blast).

Served both alongside some overn roasted potatoes, and while it may not have been a traditional Easter dinner, it sure was a good one!

Would it help to use my Jaccard on the chops prior to putting them in the brine? I'm thinking these chops look good for Sunday dinner!

Todd - I've done this recipe a number of times. About 3 times with chops. The chops were always 1.5 to 2 inches thick.

As long as you are leaving them in the marinade/brine overnight or 24 hrs I think the Jaccard isn't necessary at all.

You might want to try it though on a couple and report back to us

Back at this recipe again with a 6lb bone in loin end roast. Can't wait, know it will be great. It's been in the the brine now for a few hours.

Thinking of a twist this time and hoping someone familiar with Sous Vide cooking will see and chime in.

The plan is to cook the roast sous vide to 139 or 140 then finish on the rottiserie, HOT grill to get the reverse sear. I have a tank big enough and thinking that 6-8 hours in the 140 degree water would be fine. Then rub, grill/rotis for a short period to brown and sear then apply the glaze.

Anyone reading that has any recommendation as far as time at the 138 or 140 temp - please give me your thoughts. 6-8 hours plenty of time?

Wondering if I should pull it out of the brine sooner or whether brining and sous vide don't mix. I guess this is my major concern:

Is 6-8 hour range long enough in the sous vide tank long enough fro 6lb bone in roast and - should I pull from the brine sooner than normal. I usually would leave
the pork in the brine over night.

Other than the typical benefit of sous vide I'm thinking I can significantly reduce the time on the rotis/ grill to simply get the reverse sear, and some smoke.

VERY late reply to my own post. I did end up doing the rotiss - results were fantastic. Have to add that having a Sous Vide Pro and a tank has changed my life - but that's another topic