Perfect pork chops

Click on the photo for the recipe.

Pork Chops were the kinda thing I’d see in the supermarket & be somewhat intimidated by. My parents never cooked them & I couldn’t ever remember seeing them on a restaurant menu. As a student I attempted to cook them (because they were super cheap) but they were dry and gristly.

Fast forward 10 years and I’m trying out sous vide recipes on every cut of meat I can get my hands on. I went with the general consensus: Medium Rare, 60ºC for 4 hours. And I was EXTREMELY underwhelmed, it was flavourless & bone dry. At this point, I pretty much gave up.

Then, around a year later, inspiration came from an unusual source: An episode of Gilmore Girls. Lorelia was describing Sookie’s pork chops, “Brined in a Bourbon & Salt water solution”. Brining! How had I not thought of that before? Well, it was genius. With a bit of trial & error (turns out the Bourbon was a bit overwhelming) I found the Perfect Pork Chop brine & sous vide combo.

Click on the photo for the recipe.