Try adding a little sweetness to your next meal with the help of everyone’s favorite Southern drink: sweet tea.
Pork chops remind me of growing up in the country. We were definitely a meat-and-potatoes type of family, and I probably still lean that way today. A good home-cooked meal to me is meat, vegetables, starch and a nice hot, buttery roll that just came out of the oven. This screams “home” to me.
My local grocery store was advertising pork chops this past week, and I couldn’t pass on a good marinaded pork chop. Sweet tea reminds me of the summer, so pairing it with these gorgeous-looking chops was the only way to go.
Sweet tea-brined pork chops recipe
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 1 quart sweet tea
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 2 pork chops
- Extra salt, for seasoning
- Olive oil
- Thyme, for garnish
Directions:
- In a large pot, bring the tea, salt, bay leaves, garlic and nectar to a boil. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool. After 10 minutes, add in the ice cubes, and transfer the marinade to a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Add the pork chops, and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
- Remove the pork chops from the bag, and set them onto a plate for 20 minutes before cooking them. Season both sides with salt.
- To an iron skillet over medium heat, add some olive oil. Place the pork chops into the skillet, sear them for 2 minutes, and then flip them over. Sear them for an additional 2 minutes, and then place the heat on low-medium. Cook for 15 to 18 more minutes or until done.
- Garnish with thyme when ready to serve.
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