NDT - Cooking With Cash Wa - Maple Bourbon Pork Chops

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Maple Bourbon Brine for Pork Chops Yield: enough brine for up to 8 thick cut pork chops

For the Brine:

1 cup water

¼ cup bourbon

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

2 pinches curing salt (use only if you plan to smoke the pork chops)

1″ piece of fresh ginger, cut into ¼” disks and smashed

Make the Brine: Heat 1 cup of water with the bourbon, maple syrup, salt, and smashed ginger to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Using a 1-quart measuring cup. Fill with about 2 cups ice and add cold water to measure exactly 3 cups. Add the brine mixture and stir. The ice will melt and the brine can be used immediately.

Brine the Pork Chops: Inject brine into each pork chop using a brine injector. This is not necessary, but nice to speed up the brining process, especially if the pork chops are very thick. Once injected, place pork chops in a sealable container. Cover with brine including the pieces of ginger. Allow the pork chops to brine for 12-24 hours. If you plan to smoke, a 24-hour cure is advised to make sure the brine has completely penetrated the meat.