Maple Bourbon Brined Porkchops with Orange Maple Bourbon Drizzle

I love pork chops of every variety because, not only are chops a lean protein, they are also incredibly flavourful. But as lean as today’s pork now tends to be, on the flip side are tougher cuts of meat. Without the fat, you lose some tenderness.

Just ask my husband.

People in the restaurant business have long known this and routinely use a technique known as brining as a way to hydrate meat prior to cooking.

 Brines utilize a combination of salt, sugar, and water and through the process of osmosis create moist, tender, and flavourful meat every time.

Team that up with today’s incredible Orange, Maple, Bourbon Drizzle and you’ve got a recipe for summer grilling I know you’ll come back to again and again.

Give this recipe a try, and if you do, come back and let me know. I love to receive comments!

The printable recipe can be found here: Maple Bourbon Brined Pork Chops

Please enjoy my easy to follow step by step video.

Brine Ingredients
(Original brine recipe from Nob Hill Foods)

• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 3 Tbsp kosher or sea salt 
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1 tsp coarse pepper
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• leaves from 2 large stems fresh rosemary
• 6 thick cut bone in pork loin chops

Immerse the salt in the boiling water to soften and begin to dissolve. Mix all of the ingredients along with the salt water in a large, resealable, freezer bag. Add the pork chops, seal, refrigerate 24 hours.

Grill the chops at 400 for 8-10 minutes per side or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 ofr medium or 165 for well done.

Drizzle Ingredients 
(Adapted from Fine Cooking)

• 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp bourbon
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• Pinch cayenne
• 1 clove minced garlic

Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by about one-third, about 10 minutes. Let cool.

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