Description
Brined pork chops on the grill w/plum compote are a fantastic, flavorful dish with savory chops and a sweet & tart sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Brine
- 5 cups water (divided)
- 1/4 cup kosher salt (see note# 1 for regular salt amount)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3-4 sprigs of rosemary
- 6 bone-in center cut pork chops (1 1/2 to 1 3/4” thick) see note# 2
Plum Compote
- 8 plums
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 star anise (optional)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 juice from half a lemon
NOTE: You will need a large bowl or gallon-sized slider bags for this recipe
**PREP AND COOK TIME DOES NOT INCLUDE BRINING TIME**
Instructions
- For the brine: Add 2 cups of water to a pot along with the salt and brown sugar. Cook on medium heat until it comes to a simmer. We are not boiling it, but bringing the water to that point just before the boil. Stir to make sure the salt and sugar is dissolved. Pull from heat and add 3 cups of cold water to the pot. This will bring the water down to about room temperature. Add rosemary sprigs to water and set aside.
- Unpackage your pork chops and divide them into two, gallon slider bags with three pork chops in each bag.
- Divide the brine between the two bags. Squeeze the air out of the bags and seal them. Lay them flat in your refrigerator for 3 hours. Turn the bags over halfway through – at the 1 ½ hour mark.
- Plan your time and shortly before the chops are ready to grill, make the plum compote.
- Slice the plums in half all the way around, then twist them apart. My video shows the whole process well.
- After you’ve twisted the plums apart, pick out the small pits in the middle.
- Slice the plums into wedges.
- Add plum wedges to a pot and add vanilla extract, honey, star anise (optional), sugar, salt, juice from half a lemon. Give a stir.
- Transfer pot to stovetop and cook on high heat for five minutes while stirring continuously.
- Turn heat to low and let the compote simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to bottom of pot or burning. I did this with the lid OFF. Taste it when done. If you think it needs more sugar or honey add it here. Remove from heat and let it cool.
- Pre-heat your outside grill for 10 minutes on high. (see note # 3 about grills)
- Drain the brine from your slider bags and remove the pork chops. Blot them dry with paper towels before cooking on the grill.
- Spray your grill with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the pork chops to the grill, close the lid and let them grill for 4 minutes on high.
- Open the lid and turn the chops, close the lid again and grill 4 minutes on the other side.
- Move chops to second-tier rack inside your grill. (see note #4 for alternate method of indirect heat). The chops are not cooked all the way through yet so we’ll finish cooking them using indirect heat. Move them to the upper rack, close the lid and let them cook another 10 minutes or so. When the internal temperature reaches 145-150 degrees they are done. Use a food thermometer to check.
- Pull the chops from the grill and while they are cooling you can chop fresh parsley for a garnish if you choose to do so.
- Arrange the pork chops on a platter and garnish with fresh parsley and rosemary sprigs. I transferred the plum compote to a bowl so guests can serve themselves. Enjoy!
