Front Burner

Marinades and brines are some the easiest ways to give amazing flavor to meats and fishes... one of my favorite preparations before grilling.  But beware that pork tends to soak in more salt than most meats that have been brined, resulting in a slightly more salty taste. Salty or not, these chops were amazing.  The strong flavor combination of the stout and molasses left hints with every bite while the brine locked in an incredible amount of juiciness.  Grilled to perfection (I think I'll sing my own praises on this one!)


Beer-Brined Pork Chops

4 pork loin chops, trimmed of fat
1 3/4 cups water
1 3/4 cups stout (dark beer)
3 tablespoons course salt
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced

Place chops in resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish.  Combine water, stout, salt and molasses, stirring to dissolve salt.  Pour over chops.  Seal bag; turn to coat.  Marinate in refrigerator for 8-24 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Drain chops, discarding brine.  Pat chops dry with paper towels.  Combine pepper and garlic.  Rub mixture evenly over both sides of each chop.

Preheat grill.  Reduce heat to medium and grill 5-10 minutes per side.