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The pork chops are of course the focus of this dish, but the real star here is the garlic—OMG, yum! Even my 12-year-old was asking for more of the garlic when she was done eating. It turned out super tasty and really made the recipe! These roasted garlic & rosemary pork chops are so quick and easy to pull together—all you need is a little forethought with the brining, and the rest is a breeze.
I brined the pork chops prior to roasting them to help prevent them from drying out...and they sure were juicy! More on that below.
About Brining Meat
Brining is often thought of when it comes to cooking a whole turkey, but you don't have to wait until Thanksgiving to use a brine in your cooking! A brine is similar to a marinade, in that you soak the meat (anywhere from 2 to 24 hours) prior to cooking. A brine is typically salt water and sometimes has other flavors and spices added, like the recipe below!
Brine can help the meat be juicier, and therefore tastier, and is commonly used on pork, turkey, and chicken. Plus, they are very easy to pull together and worth the extra effort. Read more on the science of brining here.
Other Pork Chop Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Creamy Braised Pork Chops (or Chicken)
- Easy Braised Cajun Pork Chops
- Unstuffed Pork Chops
- Crispy Pork with a Cracker Crust
Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Pork Chops
Ingredients
For the brine
- 4 pork chops (bone-in, about 1.5 inches thick)
- 2 tablespoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
For the dish
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic (crushed (or more if you want!))
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary (leaves removed from stem and stem discarded)
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
Instructions
For the brine
- Place the pork chops in the bottom of a glass bowl or storage container.
- In a small pot, heat 1 cup of water to a light boil. Stir in the salt, pepper, rosemary sprig (still intact), and bay leaf until the salt is completely dissolved. Add several ice cubes until the mixture cools down.
- Pour the brine over the pork chops, then top it off with plain cool water until the meat is fully submerged. Cover and brine for 2 to 24 hours (in the fridge).
For the dish
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the pork chops from the brine, rinse them off, and pat them dry so that you can get a nice sear.
- Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pork chops in the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and sear until golden brown on the bottom.
- Flip the pork chops over, then nestle the garlic cloves in between the pieces of meat and sprinkle the rosemary leaves on top. Season with more salt and pepper.
- Place the skillet in the oven and cook until no longer pink in the middle and a thermometer registers 145 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat, about 8 to 12 minutes (depending on how thick they are), and serve. I like to take mine out at 140, knowing they'll still rise in temp after they're out of the oven.
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