Pork Chop with Miso Sauce

When I learned what a brine does and how to do it, it’s as if I found out about a big secret! I know, I know, it’s not a “secret”, but I would never have known of it if it wasn’t for culinary school and learning it from cooking in the restaurant industry. It’s not a common practice from where I came from, or at least that I know of. Since I haven’t done a brine method at home, I wanted to give it a try. Doing this extra step makes the meat juicier and helps it to not dry out. The recipe I have here is pretty basic, but I would definitely try to play around with different brines in the future. Juicy meat is what we like, right? *wink*

For Brine:

3C Water

1/3C Salt

1/3C Sugar

1T Black Peppercorns

3ea Garlic Cloves, smashed

1bunch Thyme

3C Water, cold

Heat 3 cups of water with salt, sugar, black peppercorns, garlic cloves, and thyme until salt and sugar are dissolved. Then add the 3 cups cold water to help cool down the brine. Let it completely cool before using.

3# Pork Chops

Salt

Pepper

Vegetable Oil

In an airtight container or a zip-top bag, add the brine with the pork chops. Make sure the chops are fully submerged. Leave them in the brine for 2 to 4 hours in the fridge. Remove the chops from the brine and pat them dry with a paper towel. Season them lightly with salt and pepper and let it sit in room temp for about 15 minutes before cooking. Using vegetable oil, sear the pork chops until the insides reach 145F. Do not overcook or else it will dry out. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

For Miso Sauce:

1T Vegetable Oil

1T Garlic, minced

2t Miso Paste

1/2C White Wine

1/2t Thyme, picked

1T Butter

Salt

Pepper

While the pork chops are resting, start making the miso sauce. If the pan is too burnt, you can do the sauce in a separate pot. Heat the vegetable oil and then saute the garlic. When the garlic starts to turn light brown, add the miso paste and cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Deglaze with white wine. When the sauce starts to reduce and thicken, add the thyme and then turn off the heat. Add the butter while swirling the pan to emulsify the sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. The miso paste tends to be salty, so just a little water or wine if the sauce gets too salty. Pour the sauce on top of the pork chop slices or serve on the side.