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Brown sugar−brined pork chops with smoky collard greens

6
Points®
Total Time
6 hr 30 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Brining really can elevate most any cut of meat to restaurant-worthy status. It makes the finished result more tender, juicier, and flavorful than if you hadn't brined at all. While salt acts as both a tenderizer and flavor enhancer, the vinegar also boosts the brine's tenderizing effects. As the meat absorbs the brine, it gets infused with whatever you've chosen to flavor the brining liquid with. Here, it's the garlic, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. That same vinegar is used to season the cooked collards, lending a lovely note of mouthwatering apple to the entire meal.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 spray(s)

Garlic

4 clove(s), crushed

Dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp, packed

Apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp

Kosher salt

1½ tsp

Uncooked center loin pork chop

6 oz, 2 (5-ounce) bone-in chops

Sea salt

¼ tsp, coarse variety

Black pepper

½ tsp

Onion

1 small, thinly sliced

Reduced sodium chicken broth

¾ cup(s)

Collard greens

4 cup(s), chopped, leaves, tough stems and ribs removed (about half of 3⁄4-lb bunch)

Paprika

1 tsp, smoked variety

Kosher salt

¼ tsp

Black pepper

½ tsp

Apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp

Instructions

  1. To make pork: In small saucepan, combine 1 cup water, garlic, brown sugar, vinegar, and kosher salt. Place over high heat and bring to boil. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into shallow dish just large enough to hold pork chops in single layer. Cool 10 minutes, then stir in 1 cup ice water. Place pork chops in brine; if they are not completely submerged, add a little more cold water. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
  2. Remove pork from brine; discard brine. Pat pork dry and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Spray ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and place over high heat. On grill pan, place pork and cook until browned and instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 145°F, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside to rest.
  3. Meanwhile, to make collard greens: Spray large skillet with nonstick spray and place over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add broth. Add collard greens, a few handfuls at a time, stirring, until all wilt and fit in skillet. Stir in paprika, salt, black pepper, and vinegar. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until collards are very tender, about 5 minutes. Serve with pork.
  4. Serving size: 1 pork chop and 3/4 cup collard greens

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