Brined Pork Chops in Adobo Paste
Description
I gave the gift of Fine Cooking’s, ‘Grilling’ magazine to a good friend for her birthday, then couldn’t resist and bought it for myself (I waited a whole week!), then was once again inspired by the Katie/Kyla combo and I had the recipe on my kitchen counter. We enjoyed these immensely with Rhubarb Chutney and Creamed Corn – (there were also potatoes and other ‘healthy’ vegetables involved, but they weren’t nearly as memorable). Plan ahead as there are a couple of necessary ‘wait times’ – enjoy!
Ingredients
Brined Pork Chops in Adobo Paste
Brine – enough for 3-4 lbs. of chops
1/4 c. EACH kosher salt AND dark brown sugar
1 T. molasses
1 c. ice cubes
Pour 3 1/2 c. of water into a large bowl and add the salt, sugar and molasses and stir until all are dissolved. Stir in the ice and then carefully add the pork chops. Cover with plastic wrap, add a plate over top to keep the chops submerged, and refrigerate immediately. Marinate for 4–6 hours for thick chops, less if the chops are thin.
Pork Chops
8 bone-in, pork loin chops, 1/2 to 1 inch thick – brined for 4–6 hours!
1/4 c. sweet paprika
1 T. minced garlic
1 t. dried oregano
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 T. olive oil
1 t. EACH salt AND freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Once the chops are brined, dry them a bit with some paper towel and place them onto a large baking sheet – discard the brine. In a small bowl combine the 7 paste ingredients and mix well and then using your hands, smear the paste generously over both sides of the chops. Allow them to sit at room for 30 minutes while you heat up the barbeque.
When you’re ready to grill, use your hands again to scrape off as much paste as possible before laying the chops on the medium-hot barbeque, then grill until the chops are firm and the center is barely pink, a few minutes per side. We have an instant thermometer and this is another situation where it’s brilliant – you can remove the chops before they get dry! and the internal temperature should be 145 for medium (this can be after they’ve rested). Transfer the chops to a large platter and allow them to rest for a few minutes before tucking in – I’m sure we’ll be whipping these up a few more times!
- Category: Pork, BBQ, Marinade
