Coffee and Molasses-Brined Pork Chops

Coffee adds a background flavor that helps bring out the sweet yet bitter undertone of the molasses. This brine is also excellent with chicken thighs and drumsticks, and pork or beef ribs. Use any type of hardwood chips if hickory is not available.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chop)

Ingredients

• 2  cups  water
• 1 1/2  cups  chilled strong brewed coffee
• 1/4  cup  kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 3  tablespoons  dark brown sugar
• 2  tablespoons  molasses
• 1  tablespoon  Worcestershire sauce
• 1  cup  ice cubes
• 4  (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
• 1  cup  hickory wood chips
• 1/8  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 8  teaspoons  Pepper-Garlic Spice Rub
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour salt mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add ice and pork; seal. Refrigerate for 3 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

Soak wood chips in water 1 hour. Drain well.

Prepare grill for indirect grilling, heating one side to medium-high and leaving one side with no heat.

Place wood chips on hot coals. Remove pork from bag; discard brine. Pat pork dry with paper towels. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon salt over pork. Rub 8 teaspoons Pepper-Garlic Spice Rub evenly over both sides of pork. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat; grill 2 minutes on each side. Place pork on unheated side of grill; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

254 (31% from fat)

Fat:

8.7g (sat 3g,mono 3.9g,poly 0.9g)

Protein:

37.7g

Carbohydrate:

3.8g

Fiber:

3.1g

Cholesterol:

107mg

Iron:

1.8mg

Sodium:

584mg

Calcium:

50mg