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brown sugar pork chops in a white bowl

Dry Brined Brown Sugar Pork Chops with Pan Sauce

Sean
These dry brined brown sugar pork chops taste incredible and are so simple and easy to make. The dry brine does all the heavy lifting, creating tender, flavorful meat with a tasty pan sauce to drizzle on top. The best part is that they are ready in less than 30 minutes once you are ready to get cooking.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 461 kcal

Equipment

  • Skillet or other oven safe pan
  • Tongs
  • Bowl
  • Sheet pan with baking rack

Ingredients
  

Dry Brine:

  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar packed
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground sage
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground thyme

Pork Chops

  • 4 pork chops bone-in, 1 to 1.5 inches thick
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Pan Sauce

  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons shallot chopped
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons butter unsalted, cold
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced

Bourbon Variation:

  • ½ cup bourbon
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar packed

Instructions
 

Brine the pork chops (2-24 hours ahead):

  • In a bowl add the salt, paprika, brown sugar, thyme, sage, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
    3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon ground sage, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground thyme
  • Pat the pork chops completely dry and rub brine mixture all over both sides.
    4 pork chops
  • Place on a baking rack set over a sheet pan, uncovered in the fridge for a minimum 2 hours, ideally 4-24 hours.

Cooking the pork chops:

  • Remove the pork chops from fridge 30 minutes before cooking and preheat oven to 400°F, 200C, or gas mark 6.
  • Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and sear the pork chops 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
    2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes until internal temp reaches desired doneness (see notes).
  • Allow the pork chops to rest chops on a plate tented with foil for 5 minutes.

Making the pan sauce:

  • Return skillet to stovetop over medium heat, watch out the handle will be hot. Add shallot and garlic, cook 1 minute until fragrant.
    3 tablespoons shallot, 1 tablespoon garlic
  • Add the stock, vinegar, bourbon and brown sugar (if you are using). Scrape all brown bits, simmer 3-4 minutes until reduced by half.
    1 cup chicken stock, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, ½ cup bourbon, 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • Remove from heat and whisk in cold butter one piece at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the pork chops.
    2 tablespoons butter

Notes

Notes:
  • Don't skip the resting time because it lets the juices redistribute in the pork chop.
  • If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the pork chops to a baking dish for the oven portion
  • The fall spices in the brine give this a seasonal feel perfect for autumn entertaining
  • Internal Temperatures:
    • Medium rare (145°F/63°C): Light pink center, maximum juiciness
    • Medium (150°F/66°C): Slight pink center, juicy and flavorful
    • Medium well (155°F/68°C): Barely pink, still tender
    • Well done (160°F/71°C): No pink, but still moist if you don't overcook

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 461kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 31gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 570mgPotassium: 649mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 434IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition Disclaimer*
Keyword Brown Sugar, Family Meal, Pork Chop
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