This pork brine is so quick and simple to create and results in the most beautifully juicy, seasoned pork chops. That’s a promise. Make this no-fuss pork chop brine a part of your cooking arsenal and you’ll never have boring, dry pork chops again!
Just a few minutes to make the brine and within as little as one hour, they’re ready to cook giving you the most flavourful, tender and moist pork chops you’ve ever had. Once you try it, you’ll never look back. This brine is also great for other cuts and meats like chicken and beef.
You’ll love my oven baked pork chops with potatoes recipe too – dinner on one sheet pan!
Some people wash their meat after brining. You can do this, but just patting them dry works as well. Personal preference!
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How long to brine pork chops
There is a lot of discussion over how long to bring pork chops perfectly, or any meat for that matter.
You can brine for as little as 1 hour per pound or half kilo. This timing is based on the weight of one piece, so even if you have 4 pork chops of around ½ lb or 250g each, you only need to brine for 30 minutes to get a great result.
Of course, the longer the meat sits in the brine, the longer those proteins are being transformed and the meat is becoming softer too. Many suggest brining for more than 4 hours will result in an almost mushy texture and be too salty. I don’t find that at all. Since I use slightly less salt in my brine than some and decided to do my own testing.
For my test I used pork chops, on the bone, nearly 1 inch thick. The very first ones I brined, I accidentally left in the brine for 16 hours. They were fantastic and the meat was not mushy in the slightest but it was incredibly tender.
The 4 pork chops shown above were brined for different lengths of time: 2 hours (top left), 4 hours (bottom left), 8 hours (top right) and 12 hours (bottom right). My favourites were the ones brined for 4 and 8 hours. On all 4 test pieces, the meat was lovely and tender, juicy and the flavour was phenomenal but those 4 and 8 hour ones were just that bit more enjoyable. None of them were mushy or too soft.
I suggest playing around with brining and find your own perfect timing. If you want to get it done quickly for dinner after work, then try the 30 minute method or if you have a little more time on the weekend, try a longer one. Anything more than 30 minutes and less than 12 hours is going to give you a great result.
What is a brine?
Since I worked out how to brine pork chops, I’ve never cooked them without it. A brine is essentially a salt-water solution that you submerge meat into. This simple kitchen hack infuses moisture and flavour into the meat and actually tenderises the meat too.
You may have heard of dry brining. It’s not technically brining as that requires water, but dry brining is a way to season meat and can be more correctly thought of as a dry rub or cure.
Brining Pork Chops (Simple Recipe!)
FAQ
What to do after brining pork?
Can pork chops be brined too long?
Should you rinse pork chops before cooking?
Do you rinse pork after salting?
Should you rinse pork chops After brining?
It’s a good idea to rinse the pork chops well after removing them from the brine. After rinsing, pat them dry with paper towels, and season according to whatever recipe you’ve chosen to follow. Just remember to either drastically reduce the amount of salt you add, or omit it entirely. The brine should have contributed enough of that on its own.
Can You brine pork chops before cooking?
Before you season brined pork chops pat them dry and even allow them to air dry for a couple of minutes. Never rinse brined meat. Season with minimal salt because the meat already contains some from soaking in the saline liquid. A chef recommended pork brine recipe that you can use for brining pork chops or larger cuts.
How long do you brine pork chops?
This guarantees that the brine can thoroughly penetrate the meat, maximizing its benefits. Cover the container and place it in the refrigerator for a recommended brining time of 1 to 4 hours. Thin chops can be brine for 30 minutes to 2 hours. This is very important to prevent over-brining.
What happens if you brine pork chops too long?
If meat is brined for too long, it can draw out too much moisture, leaving the meat dry. Also, it can result in meat that is overly salty. This can mask the natural flavors of the meat and make it unpalatable. After the designated brining period, remove the pork chops from the brine and rinse them meticulously under cold water.