Easy Pork Chop Brine

No more dry and boring pork with this easy pork chop brine made with salt, sugar, broth, citrus, fresh herbs, black peppercorns, and lots of garlic.

I love to brine meats like chicken breasts and lean pork so that they are extra juicy, flavorful, and tender when you cook them. I was excited when I stumbled on this easy pork chop brine recipe on Immaculate Bites because it used citrus and herbs along with lots of garlic, and it sounded tasty. After brining the chops for 2 hours, I seasoned my chops lightly with some of my homemade pork chop seasoning, but you can season them with whatever you like or have on hand. I pan-seared my chops in a cast iron skillet and then finished cooking them in the oven but you can also bake or grill the chops if you’d prefer.

Easy Pork Chop Brine

Brine Ingredients:

• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4-6 large cloves of garlic, smashed
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 1 orange, thinly sliced, seeds discarded
• 2 cups of ice water (with ice cubes)
• 3-4 bone-in pork chops

Cooking Ingredients (Optional):

• Homemade pork chop seasoning, or seasoning of choice, to taste
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

How to Make an Easy Pork Chop Brine

Make the brine by heating the chicken broth in a medium saucepan over medium heat (or for a minute in the microwave), until slightly hot. Add the kosher salt, brown sugar, garlic cloves, and peppercorns and stir to combine; set aside until the sugar and salt dissolve and the broth has cooled.

Pour the mixture into a large 9 x 13 glass baking dish (or a large zip-lock bag). Add the bay leaves, fresh thyme, rosemary, and orange slices along with the ice water and ice cubes; stir until well combined.

Make sure the water is cold then add the pork chops. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to brine for 2 hours.

Optional Cooking Method for Brined Pork Chops:

To cook the pork chops, remove them from the refrigerator, discard the brine, and lightly rinse the pork chops with water, then place on paper towels to dry them completely.

Season both sides of each chop evenly with pork dry rub or seasoning of choice; set aside until needed.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet (or ovenproof skillet) over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoning pork chops and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Flip the pork chops over and place the skillet into the oven to finish cooking the pork for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pork, until a meat thermometer reads 145 degrees.

Remove the pork to a cutting board and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy.

Easy Pork Chop Brine

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Brining Time:: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Course: Condiment, Main

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 pork chops

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• 9 x 13 Inch Glass Baking Dish
• Large cast iron skillet

Ingredients

Brine Ingredients:

• 2 cups of chicken broth
• ¼ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 4-6 large cloves of garlic smashed
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 1 orange thinly sliced, seeds discarded
• 2 cups of ice water with ice cubes
• 3-4 bone-in pork chops

Cooking Ingredients (Optional):

• Homemade pork chop seasoning or seasoning of choice, to taste
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

• Make the brine by heating the chicken broth in a medium saucepan over medium heat (or for a minute in the microwave), until slightly hot. Add the kosher salt, brown sugar, garlic cloves, and peppercorns and stir to combine; set aside until the sugar and salt dissolve and the broth has cooled.
• Pour the mixture into a large 9 x 13 glass baking dish (or a large zip-lock bag). Add the bay leaves, fresh thyme, rosemary, and orange slices along with the ice water and ice cubes; stir until well combined.
• Make sure the water is cold then add the pork chops. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to brine for 2 hours.
• Optional Cooking Method for Brined Pork Chops:
• To cook the pork chops, remove them from the refrigerator, discard the brine, and lightly rinse the pork chops with water, then place on paper towels to dry them completely.
• Season both sides of each chop evenly with pork dry rub or seasoning of choice; set aside until needed.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet (or ovenproof skillet) over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoning pork chops and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes.
• Flip the pork chops over and place the skillet into the oven to finish cooking the pork for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pork, until a meat thermometer reads 145 degrees.
• Remove the pork to a cutting board and let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy.

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