Chef notes
Pork truly is nature's meat candy! The natural sweetness found in pork is so provocative and seductive, and a quality double-cut pork chop is a prime example. The sweetness and tenderness are amplified by the brine of fresh herbs and aromatics. These are then chargrilled and finished with a sweet and nutty maple-pecan butter. Mmmmm ... I'll have two, please!
Technique tip: Brining pork chops increases tenderness and maximizes flavor. Compound butters like this maple-pecan butter can add a great flavor to anything grilled.
Swap option: You can swap veal chops for pork chops.
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in, double-cut, 1½-inch-thick pork chops
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon green peppercorns
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
- 1/4 cup finely chopped salted and roasted pecans
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
For the pork chops:
1.Place the pork chops in a large, resealable plastic bag.
2.To make the brine, place a medium-sized saucepot on the stovetop. Add the water, sugar, salt, garlic, rosemary, thyme and peppercorns, and bring to a boil. Remove the pot from the stovetop and cool the brine to room temperature.
3.Once the brine has cooled, pour it over the chops. Close the bag tightly and let the pork chops brine overnight in the refrigerator.
4.Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat them dry on both sides with a paper towel. Allow them to come to room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
For the maple-pecan butter:
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip the ingredients together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
To cook and serve:
1.Prepare the grill for direct heat cooking and bring to 425 F.
2.Grill the pork chops on one side for 5 to 6 minutes, until a nicely seared and brown crust forms. Flip and cook on the other side, for another 5 to 6 minutes, until an internal temperature of 140 F is reached for medium doneness. If higher meat doneness is desired, continue to cook for a few minutes longer.
3.Remove the pork chops from the grill and allow them to rest on a wire rack set over a sheet pan for 7 to 8 minutes. The resting allows the juices to redistribute and continue carryover cooking to a perfect 145 F medium doneness.
4.Serve with the maple-pecan butter.
Recipe excerpted from "EGGin': David Rose Cooks on the Big Green Egg" by David Rose. Andrews McMeel Publishing © 2021.
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