Brining is one of my favorite preparation techniques because you can add a lot of flavor without adding a ton of prep time. It works great for a Thanksgiving turkey as well as a lot of other meats, including pork chops. The apple hash accompaniment is a nice change from your typical applesauce and definitely worth the extra effort. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 lemon, juiced (for brine and pork)
1 lime, juiced (for brine and pork)
1 orange, juiced (for brine and pork)
¼ cup fresh fennel sprigs (for brine and pork)
2 tbsp kosher or sea salt (for brine and pork)
6 eight- to ten-ounce bone-in pork chops (for brine and pork)
2 tbsp grapeseed (for brine and pork)
2 tbsp grapeseed oil (for hash)
2 cups thin-sliced Yukon potatoes (for hash)
1 cup thin-sliced red onion (for hash)
1 tsp sea salt (for hash)
1 tsp white pepper (for hash)
2 cups thin-sliced apple, such as Granny Smith (for hash)
1 tsp hot sauce, such as Tabasco (for hash)
Directions
For the brine:
Mix 8 cups water, the fruit juices, fennel, and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes. After heating, remove and allow to cool. Add the chops and allow to sit in the brine for 3 to 24 hours under refrigeration. More time equals more flavor.
For the pork:
In a large sauté pan over high heat, add the oil, allow to warm, and then add 3 chops to the pan. Reduce the heat and cook for 6 to 7 minutes per side, which should yield a golden-brown chop. Repeat the process with the remaining 3 chops. Hold warm until serving.
For the hash:
Return pan to medium-high heat; add oil and potatoes. Stir until potatoes soften and brown on the edges. Add onions, salt, and pepper, and cook until onions soften. Reduce heat to medium, add apples, and cook for 4 minutes. Add hash to plate, top with pork chops and then Tabasco.
