How to Perfectly Sear Pork Chops without Drying Them Out

The liquid can be cider, beer, coffee, water, or any liquid you want—though two quarts of bourbon might be a bit much. Play around with it. Same with sugar: Use brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, etc. And to this you can add herbs, spices, garlic—anything you think you’ll want flavoring your pork chops.

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To brine pork chops, boil half of your liquid of choice, add the salt and whisk until dissolved. Add any other aromatics and boil for a few minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining liquid, cooling the brine to room temperature.

Place your chops in a shallow dish or Ziplock bag. Add room-temperature brine, and refrigerate for a few hours for thin chops or overnight for thicker (1.5 inches and bigger) chops.

After brining, heat a cast-iron pan or the heaviest skillet you own over medium heat. Remember, medium heat is your friend. Cook thinner chops in butter or lard, turning frequently. The sugar in the brine will help caramelize the chops, but if your heat is too high, it will burn. Turn and baste until the chops are beautifully golden and just cooked through.

And as always—please!—let the chops rest before serving.