Cider-Cured Pork Chops

This is a home cook’s take on a restaurant special, with shortcuts baked into the recipe. I learned the original at the elbow of Marc Murphy, the chef and an owner of Landmarc in Manhattan, and then adapted it for use in the home kitchen. (He grills. I pan-roast.) Brining gives the pork an incredible flavor, one amplified by the accompanying caramelized onions and apples. A drizzle of mock Bordelaise over the top elevates the whole enterprise: it’s a meal for date nights and celebrations.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning chops
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning chops
• 4 cups apple cider, plus more as needed
• 6 1 1/2-inch-thick center-cut or loin-cut pork chops, bone in
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    539 calories; 31 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 41 grams protein; 137 milligrams cholesterol; 2065 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
  Powered by DiningAndCooking.com

Serves 6

Preparation

1. To make the brine, dissolve the salt in 1/2 gallon of warm water in a large bowl. Add the pepper, pour in the apple cider and mix. Drop the pork chops into the brine and add enough additional apple cider so that the chops lurk in the liquid like frogs in a pond. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 72.
2. To prepare the chops, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove chops from brine and dry with paper towels. Rub them with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season well with salt and black pepper.
3. Heat the remaining olive oil in two oven-safe skillets and brown the chops, three to a pan, for 4 minutes a side. Place skillets in oven for 6 to 8 minutes and then remove chops to a warm platter. Cover loosely with foil and allow them to rest for about 10 minutes.
4. Serve with caramelized onions and apples, and drizzle with mock Bordelaise sauce.