- 1 cup kosher salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup Grade B maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons juniper berries
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 12 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
- 8 cups water
- 4 center-cut loin pork chops, 1 1/2 inches thick
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil for grilling
- Roasted Pear Chutney (optional)
- Mix all of the brine ingredients together in a nonreactive pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir the brine to ensure that the salt, sugar, and maple syrup have dissolved. Let the brine cool, then put it in a large nonreactive container and add the pork chops. Cover and refrigerate for no more than 12 hours.
- Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry (without rinsing).
- Prepare a grill with hot and medium cooking areas. A grill is hot when you can't hold your hand near the grill surface for longer than 2 seconds without pulling it away; it's medium when you can't hold your hand there for longer than 4 seconds.
- Season the chops with pepper (not salt — remember, the brining solution is salty) and brush with the oil. Sear the chops directly over the hottest part of the open grill for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Then move the chops to the medium area of the grill, cover the grill, and cook to the desired doneness. Use an instant-read digital thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chops. A reading of 145° to 150°F will give you a pink, moist chop, 160°F is well-done. Serve immediately, accompanied by the chutney, if using.