Brined Pork Chops with Sage-Mustard Sauce

The more I learn about “industrialized” meat (thank you Fast Food Nation), the less inclined I am to reach for the Foster Farms multi-pack of chicken breasts loaded with hormones, antibiotics and who knows what else! But at the same time, I have a hard time regularly forking over $6.99/lb for local or organic chicken as it’s usually three or four times as expensive. As a result, I find myself looking to beans, grains and mushrooms as hearty protein replacements and think of meat more of a treat and less as a staple.

When I do get a hankering for meat – or my hubby flat out refuses to eat another veggie-tofu stir-fry – I buy from sources that I trust. Yesterday, I hit up Marina Meat, which procures meat, poultry and seafood from local, sustainable and all-natural sources. The deli counter is lined with pamphlets and posters explaining where the meat is raised and the staff are very knowledgeable as well. For $12 I purchased four beautiful bone-in pork chops that had once been happy little pigs living on a farm eating wheat and barley. Sure, they were about $10 bucks more than the value-pack at the nearby supermarket, but at least I ate 100% pork and not a bunch of chemicals and other funky additives.

Here’s a recipe I whipped up using my brining method:

BRINE:
1.5 quarts water
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
3 garlic gloves smashed
4 bone-in pork chops, about 3/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon oil

SAUCE:
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sage leaves, minced (mine were from my herb garden)

In a large bowl or pot, mix together brine ingredients and submerge pork chops. Cover chops and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. The longer you let it brine the better!

Remove pork chops from brine and pat dry. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large fry pan* over medium-high heat. Brown chops for 3-5 minutes. Flip chops, cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until temperature is 135 degrees. Move chops to a plate and cover with foil (they will continue to cook).

Increase the now empty pan to medium-high and, once hot, add wine and broth. You’ll hear a loud sizzling sound as the liquid deglazes the pan (i.e. removing all of the brown bits). Remove pan from heat and stir in mustard and sage leaves. Pour over pork chops and serve!

*Avoid using a nonstick fry pan because you won’t get as many yummy brown bits, called fond, that help season the pan sauce.

Tagged as: Marina Meat, organic, pork, pork chop, sage