FOOD NEWS
The Golden Brine Ratio For Restaurant-Level Pork Chops
BY CLARICE KNELLY
Pork chops are notoriously hard to perfect, being prone to overcooking and drying out, leaving them tough and chewy. One way to mitigate this issue is to brine the chops.
Brining your pork chops before cooking isn’t time-consuming, and it can be done with just water and salt, as long as you get your ratios right.
The exact brine ratio uses 1/4 cup of salt to one quart of water. Soaking your meat in this solution for a couple of hours will lock in flavor and moisture.
While this simple brine is more than sufficient, some recipes suggest adding white or brown sugar. Although it has little impact on juiciness, sugar will add flavor and help brown the meat.
Other aromatics such as bay leaves, rosemary, fennel, and mustard seeds can also be added to infuse flavors to the brine and elevate your pork chops even more.