Thick brined pork chops

25 min · 25 min hands-on · pull 140°F · rest 8 min

Ingredients

2.5 lb on the fire · ~2 lb to the table · 4 plates at 8 oz

• bone-in pork chops, 1½ inches thick4 (2 1/2 lb)
• water4 cups
• kosher salt3 tbsp
• brown sugar1 tbsp
• garlic cloves2
• oil1 tbsp
• butter2 tbsp
• thyme4 sprigs

Method

1. 1

   Dissolve salt and sugar in the water with smashed garlic. Brine the chops 45–90 minutes in the fridge. Pat completely dry.

2. 2

   Heat a cast-iron skillet until nearly smoking. Oil the chops, then sear 2 minutes per side plus the fat edge.

3. 3

   Add butter and thyme. Transfer the skillet to a 375°F oven and roast until 138–140°F, 6–10 minutes.

4. 4

   Rest 8 minutes. Carryover will finish them to a blushing 145°F — the USDA number, still juicy if they were thick.

If you don’t have it

• Bone-in thick chops → Pork tenderloin. Same 140°F pull. Tenderloin is faster — 15–20 minutes at 375 after a sear.
• Wet brine → Dry brine (salt only, 45–90 min). If the label says ‘enhanced’ or ‘up to 12% solution,’ skip any brine.
• Cast iron → Carbon steel or a stainless skillet that can go in the oven. Nonstick will not give you a crust and may not like 375°F.

Same cook, different day

• Grill instead

  Weather allows. Two-zone, indirect to 130, sear over direct. Same 140 rest target.

• Mustard-herb crust

  You want a Sunday chop. After the sear, smear Dijon and herbs, then the oven finish.

• Thin-chop exception

  All you have is ¾-inch. Skip the oven. Hard sear 2 minutes per side and rest. Do not reverse-sear thin pork.