Brining pork chops???????

[fightingquaker13]

And that is why the $4 a pound turkey almost makes sense. Turkey has no taste. Pork is "lean" (WTF)? And my local grocer Publix has nothing but all "lean" beef. Again, its like cardboard. Here's a clue, eat it or don't. All things in moderation. If I want a lean porkchop, I'll order a freaking salad! When did we stop respecting the animal and ourselves? I hate to give the Italians credit, but they know what a pig should taste like. If it doesn't have fat, I'll take the fish.
FQ13

[PegLeg45]

Others have beat me to it, but the "Texas Crutch" (foil wrap) is the best way to keep pork moist on a smoker/grill.

Like M58 said, you can get them about 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" thick.

I've never brined chops, but have marinated in a combination of things from beer, butter, apple cider, spices and sometimes a smidge of honey brushed on. I usually smoke and baste until about 1/2 done on low heat (low-n-slow). Then do my final heavy baste, cross 2 strips of bacon on each chop and wrap each in heavy foil and finish cooking very slowly. The meat is tender enough to not need a knife when done.

I also do whole pork tenderloins this way (sometimes after spiral cutting and re-rolling with sausage and/or bacon).

[jnevis]

I brined some pork to see  what the taste would be for the turkey a couple weeks back.  Used a couple cups of apple juice and water plus a cup or so of salt, al little sugar, pickling spices, and whole all spice, cinnamon and star anise.  I left the prok overnight and the turkey a couple days.  They tasted great.  The turkey didn't defrost all the way so that was a problem.  Smoked it with cherry and mequite for 7 hrs then finished it in the oven for 30 min. 

[twyacht]

IMHO, salt is best left for last.....It can expedite a drawing out of what flavor is inherent to the meat.  The previous post of fat is flavor is correct.

Especially with thinner chops,....one can always lay some bacon strips on top, or around, and save the salt till serving.

I enjoy pork, unlike Muslims,...and a spinach and feta cheese stuffed pork roast, or butterflied pork chops, with bacon strips on top, some shallots, olive oil, an a bit of garlic,....dash of pepper....makes for good livin'. Even a splash of white wine, or orange juice.

Wait, .....we have a food thread right??

[Timothy]

I don't brine because I'm usually just cooking for myself.

I just dry rub and season, get my grill screaming hot and sear both sides for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes and then move them to the cooler side of the grill to finish.  Maybe 3 to 5 more minutes per side.  Remove them from the grill and rest like any other protein.

No brainer....moist, tender, delicious.....

Cooking a pork chop to death is no longer necessary as trichinosis hasn't been an issue in the meat supply for some time now.  Wild pigs maybe but not in FDA approved pork.

[Sponsor]

[MikeBjerum]

The science behind the salt is osmosis.  Tissue wants to reach an equilibrium between with salt and water.  Water moves from low salt to high salt to equalize.  Theory says this would dry the meat out, but it doesn't, because as time passes the water moves back and forth.  Every time moves from brine to meat it takes other flavorings with it, and the moisture equalizes while not making the meat salty.  Strange, but it works.

What is really amazing is that I learned this trick in .... Wait for it ... You are not going to believe or even trust this one ... but, I learned the secret of brining in embalming chemistry class    Believe it or not, it is the same scientific principle in both procedures.

[Rastus]

.........
What is really amazing is that I learned this trick in .... Wait for it ... You are not going to believe or even trust this one ... but, I learned the secret of brining in embalming chemistry class    Believe it or not, it is the same scientific principle in both procedures.

OK.  That just ruined my Christmas pork roast.   

I have no idea how to get ahead or how to get even on that one....it just came out of nowhere and "bam"....did the deed.

[Timothy]

So, embalming and pickling are basically the same thing?

Cool!

Sort of!

[MikeBjerum]

So, embalming and pickling are basically the same thing?

Cool!

Sort of!

I've got a friend that if he's 'blamin when I call him he'll tell me he's "picklin."

And, yes Timothy it is!  Anytime you are using solutions to cross cell membranes it is osmosis.  Sometimes it is all done with chemicals, including salt, and sometimes it is with pressure, like your reverse osmosis water filtration.  But, it is all the same scientific law in action.

Modern embalming is chemical process of fixing proteins.  It is just like hard boiling eggs.  The difference is that you do it with a chemical rather than heat.  If you put a raw egg in its shell in a bowl of embalming fluid after a period of time it will be just like you boiled it ... but DON'T  EAT  IT!!!

I feel like I need to put one of those disclaimers on here like you see on car commercials:

Professional embalmer in a closed kitchen.  Do not attempt!

[Solus]

I like it!!!!

Embalming your food has a much more "off the beaten track" ring to it than plain ol' brining.