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Buttermilk-Brined Pork Chops

Cooking Light
Buttermilk-Brined Pork Chops
Randy Mayor; Melanie J. Clarke
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Worthy of a Special Occasion

Though these pork chops require overnight brining, they make dinner the next night a breeze. Brine these chops up to two days beforehand. Just remove from brine after an overnight soak, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chop)

Ingredients

  • 2  cups  fat-free buttermilk
  • 2  tablespoons  kosher salt
  • 2  tablespoons  sugar
  • 1  tablespoon  grated lemon rind
  • 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh sage
  • 4  (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
  • 2  teaspoons  freshly ground black pepper
  • Cooking spray

Preparation

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; shake well to dissolve salt and sugar. Add pork; seal and refrigerate overnight, turning bag occasionally. Remove pork from bag; discard brine. Pat pork dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle pork with pepper.

Heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 3 1/2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Nutritional Information

Calories:
183 (35% from fat)
Fat:
7.2g (sat 2.5g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.6g)
Protein:
26g
Carbohydrate:
2g
Fiber:
0.3g
Cholesterol:
69mg
Iron:
0.8mg
Sodium:
345mg
Calcium:
43mg
Bruce Aidells, Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2004

Member Ratings and Reviews

5 stars
LC
I have made this recipe multiple times and it always comes out great...if you rinse the pork off before cooking to remove the excess salt. I've cooked it exactly like the recipes states, I've used it with thicker pork chops, grilled indoors and out, and even dredged the pork in a mixture of breadcrumbs and pecans and fried it. Of course, the last method is definitely not "cooking light", but my husband loves it!09/09/09

5 stars
c4d from Georgia
This recipe has been a regular favorite in our house for years now. The brining makes the pork so tender and juicy. The only thing we do differently is to grill it on our outdoor gas grill instead of on the stovetop. Also, if you are not ready to cook at the time the brining period has ended, simply remove chops from the brine, pat dry with paper towels, wrap in plastic wrap and return to the frig until ready to cook. Kids love these as well as adults. I do not believe they are "fancy" enough for company, but they are a great dish for the family.09/07/09