Peachy the Magazine October/November 2013 | Page 58

Don’t Fear the Beer
BEER BRINED PORK CHOPS
makes 6 servings

2 cups warm water
1 12-ounce cold lager beer
3 tablespoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons (packed)
dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons mild-flavored molasses
6 1 to 1 1?4 inch thick center-cut
bone-in pork chops
5 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried sage leaves

Combine 2 cups water, 3 tablespoons
coarse salt, sugar, and molasses in
large bowl. Stir until salt and sugar
dissolve. Add cold beer to cool. Place
pork chops in large resealable bag with
brine for 5 hours. Refrigerate.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).
Remove pork chops from beer brine,
pat dry. Mix garlic, pepper, 2 teaspoons
salt, and sage in small bowl. Rub garlic
mixture over both sides of pork chops.
Grill pork chops until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops
registers 145°F to 150°F. Transfer chops
to plate, cover with foil, and let stand
5 minutes. Serve.

For the main course, I braised the
pork chop in the Ballast Point
Longfin Lager and paired the course
with the Ballast Point Sculpin IPA.
Chris assured me that the IPA would
match well with the pork chop so
I figured I could not go wrong.

58

PEACHY