Honey Brined Pork Chops with Creole Mustard Reduction Sauce
4 bone-in pork chops, about 12 ounces each
1 gallon warm water
3/4 pound kosher salt, about 1 3/4 cups
1 1/2 cups honey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cloves
Creole Mustard Reduction Sauce, recipe follows
Heat the water, salt, and honey in a stockpot. Stir to dissolve the honey and salt. Remove from the heat. Add the thyme, pepper, and cloves, and refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours. Once cool, submerge the pork chops in the brining liquid. Marinate for 2 hours, refrigerated.
Remove from the refrigerator and pat the chops dry with paper towels.
Heat a large, heavy, non-stick grill pan or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops in batches, as necessary, and sear on each side, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a roasting pan or baking sheet and roast until cooked through, about 18 minutes.
Serve with Creole Mustard Reduction Sauce.Creole Mustard Reduction Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup Creole mustard or other spicy, whole-grain mustard
Heat the oil a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the wine. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to a thick glaze, 18 to 20 minutes. Add the chicken stock and Creole mustard, stir well, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm until ready to serve.
Yield: 2 cups