Brined Pork Chops Stuffed with Apple and Brie cheese, Roasted Parsnip/Garlic Puree and Roasted Asparagus with Lemon

This should be a great first couple of recipes to post.  I was walking through the grocery store yesterday thinking about what I was going to make for dinner tonight.  Yesterday I called up Joey and told him to come over for dinner.  Walking by the butcher counter, I saw some bone in pork chops that were about an inch and a half thick.  I immediately knew that these were my protein for the evening.  With a little care, these could be the most delicious chops possible.  I decided I was going to brine them.  I left the store with just the pork chops and began working on my brine...good food takes time!

Brine for Pork Chops

1 cup Kosher Salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bag apple cinnamon tea
2 quarts water

Fyi, you may use regular salt.  You actually need less.  About 1/2 cup.  I didn't have any. 
Combine all ingredients and stir.  Most people heat brines to make sure the ingredients all dissolve and let them cool or add ice to speed it up.  Never add meat to a warm brine.  I use cold water most often.  If you stir vigorously and/or add a touch more water, it will dissolve.  I am ok if there is a little salt at the bottom.

Feel free to add anything else you like.  Thyme, black pepper, honey, molasses apples.  It doesn't matter.  I thought I had apples at home, but I was out.  In went the tea bag.  Good to go. 

Place pork chops in some kind of container or plastic bag.  Add enough brine to cover the pork chops.  Different meets have different brining times.  Pork chops can handle 12-24 hours.

*  The purpose of a brine is to add moisture to the finished product.  The secondary function is to add flavor through fluid transfer.  All salt does not go into pork chop.  That would be a ton of salt!  There is no need to further salt meat before/during cooking.

Brined Pork Chops Stuffed with Apple and Brie cheese

The brine has salty, sweet, and spice components.  The addition of tart granny smith apples makes this a well rounded dish.  Juice from the apples, pork, and brie should combine to make a sauce inside pork and provide moisture (not that it needs it with brining).

- 4 Bone-in Pork Chops
- 2 Granny Smith Apples
- Brie Cheese (earthy if possible)

Cut a pocket in the pork chops.  Don't make the opening to wide. but make opening through most of the pork chop for filling.  Slice 2-3 thin slices of brie, and 3-4 thin wedges of pealed apple per pork chop.  Insert into pocket.  Season outside of pork chops with pepper(no salt).  You may rub with a light coating of oil.

Weather permitting, I will be grilling these chops on a charcoal grill.  You may also do it in a pan (sear, then finish in oven).  I stop cooking pork around 137 degrees.  Carry over cooking should rise temp to about 145 degrees with a ten minute rest.  Yes, your thermometer says 160, but that was for back in the day when pork wasn't regulated like it is today.  Also, we brined our pork, and salt kills bacteria.

* Tip - Touch Your Meat - if using a thermometer, when you reach desired temperature, use your index/middle finger to press the meat.  This "touch test" will be how you measure doneness as you get used to different temperatures.  You can always double check with thermometer if unsure. 

Roasted Parsnip/Garlic Puree

- 1 small head garlic
- 4 parsnips
- a few sprigs of parsley
- some lemon zest, juice
- corn stock (substitute veg or chicken)
- olive oil

Turn oven on to 400 degrees.  Peel your parsnips.  Cut them a few times to attempt even size pieces.  Add oil.  Roast in oven until fork tender.  Cut the top off of a head of garlic and season with a splash of oil and salt/pepper.  Wrap in foil and roast with parsnips.  Garlic takes about 30-45 minutes depending on your oven.  You will smell when its close.

I prefer to puree in a blender instead of a food processor.  Squeeze roasted garlic out of head while making sure no "paper" from garlic sticks to it.  Add to blender with parsnips, oil, stock. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.  We are looking for a smooth consistency.  Add liquid until you get it.

*   Disclaimer: I don't measure anything.  I will give estimates, if you want exact proportions for anything find some else's recipe.  You may or may not find something similar.  This only really applies to seasoning, so I say season to taste, adding small amounts per layer of ingredients, taste it, and see if you like it.  You will get used to doing this with experience.  Its not rocket science!

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon

- 1 pound of asparagus
- juice of a half a lemon

You can cut the bottoms off asparagus.  If you want you can snap them one by one to find a natural break point.  This is a pain.  The bottoms are woody, so discard one way or another or save for a stock.  Put some oil on them.  Season with salt/pepper.  Add chili flakes/garlic powder, whatever you want.  Make it yours!

I will grill these with the chops.  You can also roast them in the oven.  When they are done, toss the asparagus in the lemon juice.

Enjoy!