Description
Thick boneless pork loin chops, quick-brined for flavor, seared on the grill, and basted with a honey-thyme glaze.
Ingredients
Pork
- 3 pounds boneless pork loin roast, cut into 1 inch chops (or 3 pounds of 1 inch thick boneless pork chops)
Brine
- 1 quart water
- 1/4 cup table salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Honey Glaze
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- Pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Brine the chops: Stir the brine ingredients together in a 2 quart or larger container until the salt and sugar dissolve. If you bought a whole loin, cut it crosswise into 1 inch thick chops (about 8). Put the chops in the brine, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you prepare the grill.
- Make the glaze: Stir the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl until the honey dissolves.
- Prepare the grill: Set up your grill for medium heat. On a gas grill, preheat with all burners on high for 10 minutes, then turn them down to medium.
- Grill the chops: Take the chops out of the brine, and pat them dry with paper towels. Grill at a 45 degree angle for 3 minutes, rotate 90 degrees, and grill 3 minutes more. (Keep the lid closed on a gas grill, open on charcoal.) Flip, brush with the glaze, and grill 3 minutes more. Check the temperature - you want 140°F. If they're not done, rotate, brush with glaze, and cook 1 to 3 minutes more. Move to a platter, and brush again with the glaze.
- Rest and serve: Let the chops rest for 10 minutes, then serve, browned side up.
Notes
Equipment: A grill (I use a Weber Summit 650) and a basting brush - a small bunch of thyme tied at the stems works, or try the Oxo silicone basting brush.
Timing depends on your grill. You want good grill marks before you rotate, and a well-browned first side before you flip. Don't worry if the second side doesn't brown much.
I prefer to buy a whole pork loin and cut my own chops - they're more even, thicker, and usually less expensive than pre-cut chops. (I picked up this trick from Pam Anderson's How to Cook Without a Book.)
Barbecue: Sprinkle the chops with my barbecue rub before grilling, or use barbecue sauce instead of the honey glaze.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Brine: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes