Grapes & Chops
By
Jen Smallwood
@usmcmom1
6
★★★★★ 1 vote5
Ingredients
-
1/2 ckosher salt, plus more for seasoning
-
1/4 csugar
-
2 cboiling water
-
4bone-in pork rib chops, cut 1 1/4 inches thick (8-10 ounces each)
-
1head of garlic
-
5 Tbspextra-virgin olive oil
-
·ground pepper - to taste
-
1 lbseedless purple grapes, stemmed (3 cups)
-
·aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
How to Make Grapes & Chops
- In a large bowl, stir the salt, sugar and boiling water until the sugar dissolves. Let cool until lukewarm. Add the chops and refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°. Place the garlic on a sheet of foil and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Wrap tightly and roast until very soft, 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze the cloves from the skins and mash.
- Light a grill and oil the grate. Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry. Rub all over with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderate heat, turning once, until lightly charred and just cooked through, 10 minutes. Transfer to plates; keep warm.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the grapes and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until they start to burst, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and half of the mashed garlic and cook, stirring, until incorporated, 1 minute.
- Reserve the remaining garlic for another use.
- Transfer the grapes to the plates.
- Drizzle the chops and grapes with vinegar and serve.