Cider Brined Pork Chops with Criminis & Sage

This is a quick and easy recipe that is going to result in a delicious and elegant dish.  It’s simple Crockpot fare, but even so it needn’t be run of the mill.  The secret to getting exceptional results is substituting some rather mundane ingredients with those that will yield a richer, more complex taste.

When making any dish using pork chops, brine them first.  It is going to tenderize them, make them juicier, and this simple cider brine imparts a barely there sweetness that makes such a big difference in taste.

I brined mine in the fridge for four hours before putting them into the Crockpot for eight.  Yes, it was a crazy long day of cooking, but I tend to be a night owl and was making dinner for my parents, so it really didn’t matter to me.  You might want to brine yours before retiring for the night, and then put them in the Crockpot in the morning.

Cider Brined Pork Chops with Criminis & Sage

To make brine:

2 cups apple cider

2 tablespoons Kosher salt

3 allspice berries

1 bay leaf

2 cups ice water

Bring cider, salt, allspice, and bay leaf to boil in large saucepan, stirring to dissolve salt. Remove from heat. Stir in ice water and allow to cool completely. Place pork in 9x9-inch glass baking dish. Top with brine. Cover; refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.

To make chops:

4 bone-in pork chops

1 package Lipton Golden Onion soup mix

6 large, fresh crimini mushrooms, cut into ¼” slices

¼ teaspoon rubbed sage

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Celery soup

1 cup mushroom stock*

Place brined pork chops into the bottom of a Crockpot.  Sprinkle onion soup mixture over chops.  Top with sliced mushrooms.  Stir together the celery soup, rubbed sage, and mushroom stock and pour over all.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

*Remember yesterday’s potatoes?  This is why I had you save the mushroom liquid.  If you didn’t, then just use water.

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Foodie Friday