They say this season is all about hope. Hope for snow. Hope for Santa to be generous. Hope for world peace. I want all those things, especially snow; last year we tied a sled to the back of Ameen’s truck and took turns swinging each other around in a huge icy parking lot. Nothing like being flung off a plastic sled onto icy asphalt to make you feel like a kid again! But today I got what I hope for just about every dreary winter Seattle day: sunshine.
It was a gorgeously crisp fall (it’s still fall, right?)
day. I had planned on making a big batch of stew for the week and curling up
with a good book, and although it was cold, it just wasn’t one of those days.
It was a fine grillin’ day.
Yessir, grillin’. I threw some pork chops in a simple brine of kosher salt, brown sugar and water (although apple juice/cider would have been a lovely brining liquid), then charred them on the grill until smoky and crusty on the outside, yet moist and juicy on the inside. Although grilling may not seem very seasonally appropriate, I say if you can stand the cold, why not? I even threw on a few chicken pieces for tomorrow night’s dinner to justify lighting up the grill. It also helped that I had a little furry moral support while I braved to cold.
What makes this dish special though is the pomegranate
glaze. Nothing more than thick, sweet and sour pomegranate molasses (which you
can find in the ethnic section of better supermarkets), it caramelizes onto the
meat keeping it sweet and succulent. Served with a simple salad of fresh
pomegranate arils, arugula and red onion, this dish makes an average pork chop
dinner almost as exciting as snow. Almost.
Pomegranate Glazed
Pork Chops
Ingredients:
4 pork chops (bone in preferred)
¼ cup kosher salt
¼ cup brown sugar
4 cups water
¼ cup pomegranate molasses
4 cups arugula
½ cup pomegranate arils
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion or shallot
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Brine the pork
chops. Trim the chops of any fat/gristly. In a large bowl, whisk together
the salt, brown sugar and water until dissolved. Put the pork chops in the mixture
and allow to brine for 1 hour. Remove the pork chops and pat dry.
Prep the grill. Heat
the grill for at least 5 minutes over high heat. Scrape the grates with a grill
brush to remove any debris, then swipe a paper towel wad dipped in vegetable
oil along the grates to lubricate it.
Grill the pork
chops. Cook on each side for 5 minutes, until charred on the outside and
cooked medium. Do not overcook or the meat will be dry. During the last 2
minutes of cooking, brush the chops with the pomegranate molasses liberally on
each side. Remove pork to a plate and allow to rest for 5-7 minutes.
Dress the salad. While
the pork is resting, gently toss together the arugula, pomegranate arils, red
onion or shallot, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Serve the
pomegranate salad with the grilled pork chops.
Found the bbq grill in the fog this afternoon and (despite the burn ban) made this satisfying brine and glaze. Thanks. Always like to find a recipe using pomegranate molasses, one of my coolest finds in the local N. African market, along with Za'atar.
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