BRINED PORK CHOPS

Brining the pork chops an hour ahead of time makes them much less likely to dry out in the pan. It forces salt and water into the meat, resulting in juicy, tender, flavorful chops. 

You can choose any cut of pork chop you prefer but be aware that different cuts are sliced to different thicknesses. I prefer to choose chops that are about 1-inch thick. Thinner cuts are fine but you may want to brine them for less time so they aren't too salty. 

6 cups cold water

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 cup table salt

4 boneless pork chops, about 1-inch thick

Ground black pepper

Cooking oil of choice (For pork chops, nothing is better than leftover bacon fat. Truly. Butter is good too.)

In a gallon size ziploc bag combine the water, brown sugar, and salt. Mix inside the bag until the salt and sugar dissolve, then add the pork chops and seal the bag, making sure to squeeze out as much air as possible. Brine for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

After brining, remove the pork chops and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with a little pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet until shimmering. Cook chops until well-browned, being very careful not to overcrowd your skillet (cook in two batches, if necessary). The chops should not touch each other in the pan or they will steam instead of sear. Once the first side is nicely browned, turn the chops over, turn heat on stove to low, and continue to cook until the meat is cooked through. (Here's a guideline on pork doneness. If using a thermometer, safe temperature for pork chops needs to be at least 145 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer and want to check for doneness you can cut into the thickest portion of the meat--the meat can be a light pink, not dark pink. Don't cook too long or the pork chop will be dry and tough.)