To Brine or Not To Brine

I wanted to begin this blog by saying, “I brined for the first time”.  That was before looking up the definition of the word “brine” to find that it’s actually a noun defined by Merriam-Webster as “a mixture of salty water used especially to preserve or add flavor to food“.

Apparently, it can also be used as an adjective such as “maple brined-turkey”.

So, to be grammatically correct; I made spice-brined pork chops this weekend.  Basically, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and to determine what value or flavor it added to my dish.

To say the least, I will brine again!… or, I should say, I will be making brined meats again….or soaking my meats in a brine again.

It was actually pretty simple.  The night before cooking, I made a bath of hot water and brandy (optional) and added brown sugar, salt, onion slices, black peppercorns, whole cloves and bay leaves.  I poured the brine over my pork loin chops and placed it in the refrigerator, covered, to soak overnight.

Delicious.  The pork chops were really the most flavorful I think I’ve had.  You can use a brine before grilling, broiling or baking, and it’s worth a try.

For a quick and easy sauce to accompany my brined pork chops:

Toni’s Quick-n-Easy Onion Apple Sauce

Ingredients:

1. Butter- 3 tablespoons
2. Apple- 1 whole, diced
3. Onion- 1/2, diced
4. Flour- 2 or 3 tablespoons
5. White Wine (optional)- 1/4 cup
6. Chicken Broth- 1/2 cup

Directions:

1. Saute apple and onion in butter
2. Add flour and saute for another minute, until flour is absorbed
3. Add wine and broth to desired consistency
4. Serve over pork chops

Simple Side-Dish: Sauteed Mushrooms

Whoops!  Forgot to plan a side-dish?  I did.  Thank heaven for a half-empty package of mushrooms in the refrigerator.  Sliced and thrown into a saute of butter and olive oil with a dash or white wine, they make the perfect last minute side-dish.