Recipes and Cooking Pork Recipes Pork Chops Apple Cider-Brined Pork Chops 4.4 (5) 1 Review Apple cider-brined pork chops are the perfect way to say farewell to summer and hello to fall. This easy pork chop recipe only needs a few minutes on the grill after it marinates all afternoon! By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on February 22, 2013 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Andy Lyons Prep Time: 30 mins Marinate Time: 6 hrs Grill Time: 7 mins Total Time: 6 hrs 37 mins Servings: 4 Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 2 cup cold water 1 cup kosher salt 1 cup packed light brown sugar 2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed, or 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1 teaspoon whole cloves 4 cup unfiltered apple cider 2 cup ice cubes 4 boneless pork chops, cut 3/4-inch thick (about 1-3/4 pounds) Olive oil Miniature sweet peppers (optional) Sliced French bread (optional) Directions For brine, in a large saucepan bring the water, salt, brown sugar, thyme, peppercorns, and cloves to boiling over medium heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until sugar and salt dissolve, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in apple cider and ice cubes. Stir until ice cubes melt and brine is cool. Place pork chops in a large resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. Pour cooled brine over chops in bag; seal bag. Refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours, turning bag occasionally. Drain chops, discarding brine. Pat chops dry with paper towels. Lightly brush chops with olive oil. For a charcoal grill, grill chops on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 7 to 9 minutes or until chops are slightly pink in center (160 degrees F), turning once halfway through grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place chops on grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as directed.) If desired, brush peppers and bread slices with olive oil. Add peppers to grill rack with chops. Grill about 8 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally. Add bread to grill rack during the last 2 to 4 minutes of grilling, turning once. Serve chops with peppers and bread. Test Kitchen Tip For a good all-purpose brine, use a ratio of 2 cups kosher salt per 1 gallon (16 cups) of liquid. If using table salt, which is denser than kosher salt, cut the amount in half. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 214 Calories 6g Fat 5g Carbs 33g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 214 % Daily Value * Total Fat 6g 8% Saturated Fat 2g 10% Cholesterol 105mg 35% Sodium 1481mg 64% Total Carbohydrate 5g 2% Total Sugars 5g Protein 33g Calcium 20.2mg 2% Iron 1.3mg 7% Potassium 541mg 12% Vitamin B-12 0.6mcg Vitamin B-6 0.8mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.