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 bone-in 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