30/30 - #30 Buttermilk Brined Pork Chops

It's official! I am almost 30! To celebrate, I am doing a 30-day countdown to my 30th birthday, hence the "30/30" theme.

I thought it might be fun to celebrate with all of you since cooking and blogging are a BIG part of my life. Birthday celebrations in my family are more like birth-months, they tend to get extended a bit. We like to plan many events, meals, gifts and get-togethers to celebrate.

In the spirit of my "birth-month", Kettler Cuisine is going to countdown to my birthday by featuring my top 30 recipes. It is a random list, but one that is full of Kettler Cuisine recipes, family favorites, other bloggers, restaurants, and of course, cocktails.

To qualify as a favorite, it has to meet three criteria:

• Made or had it more than once
• Requested by friends and family often
• NEVER gets old

Over the next 30 days I will share these favs and maybe sneak in a few new recipes.

To kick off the big countdown, I am bringing it all the way back to the beginning of Kettler Cuisine with a knockout - Buttermilk Brined Pork Chops!!

This is by far the most requested recipe and most frequent dinner in our household. It was fun to look back through the blog and see how far I have progressed, mostly with photography. Not bad for a self-taught girl! Even though I would love to share the joy of my photography progression, I have updated most of the photos for the Top 30 list.

Check out the original post on Buttermilk Brined Pork Chops for the recipe and my first attempts at blogging!

Enjoy and check back tomorrow for a (hint, hint) spicy bite!

Buttermilk Brined Pork Chops

Yields: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus up to 24 hours for brine)

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Find the recipe here!

Buttermilk Brined Pork Chops

What better way to kick off my new blog with our favorite recipe of all time! I know this is a bold statement, but it's certainly true.We first had this at a weekend get together on the lake. My mom insisted on making dinner one night and that she had a fantastic recipe she wanted to share from her dear friend Nancy (who always has the best recipes)!!

I can honestly say this is the only pork chop recipe I will eat now. I am not a fan of this particular cut of pork because it is notorious for drying out when cooked. And with what little amounts of meat that I consume, I want it to be juicy and delicious when I do. So although skeptical at first, I knew if my mother was a fan, it had to be fantastic. I just remember looking over at my mom and husband after taking a few bites and they were simultaneously gnawing on the chop bones!

This is a recipe that Ryan and I could eat once a week for the rest of our lives. It is great to prepare on Sunday night for a quick Monday night dinner with vegetable sides (which is what we did here). The longer the brine works its magic, the juicier the chop!

(Please do this recipe a favor and get the thick-cut bone-in pork chops. I know they are a bit more expensive, but it is SO WORTH IT!)

Is your mouth watering yet???

Buttermilk-Brined Pork Chops

Yields: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus up to 24 hours for brine)

Cook Time: 10 minutes

2 cups buttermilk

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon lemon zest

2 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

2 Tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

4 bone-in center-cut pork chops

Fresh ground pepper

Combine the buttermilk, salt, sugar, lemon rind, rosemary and sage in a large zip-lock bag. If you are making more than 4 chops, only put up to 4 in one zip-lock quart-sized Freezer bag so each chop is well coated. Seal the bag and shake well to dissolve the sugar and salt.

Depending on where you get your chops from, I like to rinse and pat dry before adding into the brine. Add chops and seal the bag. Gently mix around (be careful not to puncture the bags with the chop bones) and lay flat in a large bowl or square baking dish. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours, turning the bag occasionally. (I have also let them sit for as little as 7 hours and they are still fantastic).

After brining, remove the chops from the bag and discard the brine. Pat the chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper on both sides.

This is best on the grill - heat grill to medium heat. Grill the pork chops on each side for about 4 minutes (depending on thickness). Let the chops rest for a few minutes before serving and enjoy the best pork chop you will ever have!

OR

If the weather is bad or you don’t have a grill, you can heat a large non-stick pan over medium high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray and cook the chops about 3-5 minutes per side (depending on thickness). Let the chops rest for a few minutes before serving and enjoy the best pork chop you will ever have!