Brined Boneless Pork Loin Chops are the Tops!
Brined Boneless Pork Loin Chops are the tops! American pork is not the meat it used to be. Good-bye tough and fatty – hello lean and tender. Great right? No! It may be healthier, but it’s a challenge for cooks to create a pork dish that is moist, tender, and flavorful. Giving the meat a saltwater bath will ensure a perfect “tops” result.
It is impossible to find a bone-in thick cut pork chop at a regular super market or even at a high volume big box store such as Costco. Bone-in chops are thin and overcook easily. Boneless chops are thick with very little fat. These are good for pounding thin and making schnitzel – a favorite dish in my house! However, I find that brining these types of chops really helps to tenderize the meat and give exceptional flavor.
Shop for your Chop
The chop comes from the loin of the pig. The different cuts are blade chop, rib chop, center-cut chop or sirloin chop. When buying a bone-in chop, try to find meat that is uniform in thickness to the bone. Blade chops are tough, fatty and juicy but have good flavor. Rib chops are the best choice for a successful outcome. They have some fat and are tender and juicy with good flavor. Center-Cut chops have little fat and are relatively tender with good flavor but are less juicy. Sirloin chops are tough, dry and have little flavor.
Juicy and Delicious
Chalky chops are not a satisfactory meal. Brining enhances moisture and flavor in the meat. Fat bastes meat and keeps it moist while cooking. Lean meat requires a technique to enhance flavor and moisture content. The leaner the meat, the faster it will dry out and become tough and tasteless.
Meat naturally contains salt and moisture. Salt levels equalize as the meat absorbs the liquid from the brine. When the meat hits the heat it has a higher liquid content. It loses moisture during cooking but still ends up juicier.
Many types of liquid make a brine such as water, beer, wine, vinegar, and fruit juice. Acidic brines will tenderize the meat and care must be taken that the brining time is less and the solution is not so strong that the meat turns to mush.
Brining Basics
Brining times vary depending upon type and cut of meat. A basic brine ratio is two cups liquid to one cup of salt with the addition of sugar, herbs and flavoring, depending upon the recipe. However, this can vary according to the type of recipe and meat. Before adding the meat, the salt and sugar must be completely dissolved in the liquid. Heat will hasten dissolving. Cool and refrigerate the brine before adding the meat.
To avoid spoilage, the meat should be completely submerged in the brine. This will kill bacteria on the surface of the meat, especially during long periods of brining. Put a plate or other heavy object on top of the meat to ensure that the entire surface is under the water. Once brining is complete, there is no need to rinse the meat when it is removed from the liquid. It only needs to patted dry and put on the heat!
Salt – So Many Options to Choose From!
There are many choices of salt to use for brining. They all measure differently due the size of the crystals. A fine grained table salt is very different from a large crystal kosher salt. Kosher salts also vary in size by brand. Don’t stray from the recommended type of salt and measurement in a recipe unless you are confident in the substitution. “Enhanced” meat (injected with salt, water and sodium phosphate) does not need to be brined.
Pink Pork Prejudice
The faintest blush of pink in cooked pork prompted a prejudice against the meat. Trichinellosis (trichinosis) is a food-borne illness responsible for the long practice of overcooking pork until it is gray and dry. The disease is the result of ingesting a parasite (Trichinella spiralis) found in raw pork meat. The presence of the parasite in pigs is a result of poor feeding practices and exposure to pathogen infected animals.
USDA standards for the cooking of pork have changed. Old standards recommended cooking the meat to an internal temperature of 170 degrees to 185 degrees. This would ensure the parasite’s death which actually occurs at 137 degrees. Modernized pig farms remove the concern of contracting trichinellosis from raw uncured meat. A significant improvement comes from the shift of raising pigs from outdoors to indoors. The USDA has modified the recommended internal temperature for safe pork consumption to a new standard of 145 degrees. A range of 145 – 160 degrees will produce a rosy, tender, juicy cut of meat.
Brined boneless pork loin chops are succulent and easy to make. The chops marinate for only 30 minutes. A quick pan sear browns the meat and a hot oven finishes the cooking. Paired with Fried Smashed Red Potatoes and Brussels Sprout Apple Slaw, in less than an hour, you can enjoy a delicious meal.
Brined Boneless Pork Loin Chops
Equipment
- Large oven safe skillet
- Meat thermometer
- Tongs
- Large pot for brining
- Large pot for boiling potatoes
Ingredients
Brine
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup Morton Kosher salt substitution: ½ cup table non-iodized table salt OR 1 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (See notes)
- 8 cups cold water
Pork
- 3-4 thick cut boneless pork loin chop see notes for options on cuts of pork
- 1-3 tbsp ground or cracked black pepper
- 2-3 tbsp high heat cooking oil grape seed or canola or similar: NOT olive oil
Fried Smashed Red Potatoes
- 8-16 medium sized potatoes 2-4 per person
- 2-3 tbsp high heat cooking oil grape seed or canola or similar
- 2-4 garlic cloves, diced substitution: garlic infused cooking oil
- 1-2 tbsp fresh or dried thyme leaves substitution: fresh or dried rosemary leaves
Brussels Sprout Apple Slaw
- 1 lb raw Brussels sprouts
- 2 apples substitution: pear
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup raisins
- ½ cup slivered almonds optional
- ½ cup red onion, thin slices
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar substitution: white wine or apple cider vinegar sweetened with sugar
- 1-2 tbsp Dijon mustard similar mustard
- salt, to taste
- sugar, honey, or agave syrup to taste use sparingly if white balsamic vinegar is not available
Instructions
MENU PLAN: Brined Boneless Pork Loin Chops with Fried Smashed Red Potatoes and Brussels Spout Apple Slaw
Part One – Preparation
- Brine the meat: Put water into a pot deep enough to cover the meat when it is added. Dissolve sugar and salt completely in the water. If you use heat to speed up the process, be sure to let the brine cool to room temperature and chill it before putting the meat in. You don't need to use heat to dissolve the salt and sugar, but you must stir the water for about 5 minutes. If you can see crystals on your spoon, keep stirring until all have been dissolved. Place the meat into the pot. To ensure that the meat is entirely submerged, place a heavy plate on top of the meat. Place the pot into the refrigerator. 30 minutes is sufficient and the best balance of sugar and salt absorbed into the meat. Up to an hour is acceptable, but longer will cause too much salt to be absorbed into the meat.
- Pre-cook the potatoes: Place the potatoes in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook until soft and a knife can be inserted easily through the center. (This can be done the day before).
- Prepare the slaw: Cut off the tough ends and thinly slice the Brussels sprouts so that they are not shredded, but have some shape. Peel and slice apples into large matchstick sized pieces. Slice the red onion into thin pieces. Remove the tough ribs from the celery and dice the stalk into small pieces. Place all into a large mixing bowl. Add the raisins and almonds. To taste, add the salt, sugar, mustard, extra virgin olive oil and vinegar. Toss and thoroughly coat the salad ingredients. Place into the refrigerator until ready to serve. Allow at least one hour so the ingredients can macerate and soften. (This can be done the day before).
Part Two – Pan Searing the Pork and Potatoes
- Pork: Adjust the rack to sit in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 400° F. NOTE: The meat only needs 15-18 minutes (approximate) to be fully cooked , rested and ready to serve. Organization and proper prepping is the key to serving perfectly cooked chops. Remove the meat from the brine water. DO NOT RINSE. Pat the meat dry and season with pepper. (Do not add more salt). Set aside until ready to sear. If you are using a digital oven safe temperature probe that requires presetting, get that ready and in place. You will need to work fast when the meat is ready to put into the oven. Set the temperature on the thermometer to 135°F. Prepare a large resting platter or cutting board and a large piece of aluminum foil or cover for the meat.
- Potatoes: Smash the potatoes with the palm of your hand or spatula. Place into a frying pan with 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil and crushed garlic. Add salt and thyme to taste. Over a medium heat, slowly let the potatoes crisp on each side. (About 10 minutes each side).
- Pork: Put oil in the skillet and heat over a high flame until the oil begins to shimmer and slightly smoke. Do not use olive oil as the flash point is too low. Swirl the oil in the pan to get an even distribution and place the chops into the pan. Brown 3-4 minutes and turn and brown the other side for 1 minute.
- Insert the oven safe probe into the center of a chop and place the skillet into the oven. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the temperature reaches 135°F.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and immediately remove the meat from the skillet and place on the resting platter. Cover loosely with the foil and let the meat rest for approximately 4-5 minutes. IT WILL CONTINUE TO COOK. When it reaches a temperature of 145°F.-150°F., it is ready to serve. NOTE: There was a time when it was considered not safe to eat pork that was less than 160°F. Meat would be cooked until it was white and dry. Frankly, some pink will assure you that the meat is moist and palatable. You can always cook it a little more if you like. Obviously, pink meat that looks fleshy and raw is undercooked. Pink meat that is like a blush of color is okay.
Serve It Up!
- Plated or buffet style, assemble all elements of this delicious menu and serve with the beverage of your choice. Enjoy!
