Grilled Thin-Cut Pork Chops

(from 226-2tone’s recipe box)

Serves 4 to 6
To prevent the chops from curling, cut 2 slits about 2 inches apart through the fat around the outside of each raw chop.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
To ensure that our Grilled Thin-Cut Pork Chops would brown quickly, we partially froze them to eliminate excess moisture from the exterior. Salting them first prevented them from drying out and allowed us to skip brining. A combination of softened butter and brown sugar spread over the chops resulted in a golden-brown crust when they came off the grill.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/meat-blog/2013/06/pig-out-on-grilled-thin-cut-pork-chops/

Source: Cook's Country August/September 2010 (from RecipeThing user Bethany)

Categories: Meat

Ingredients

  • 6 (3-ounce) bone-in rib or center-cut pork chops, 1/2 inch thick, trimmed
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

  1. FREEZE CHOPS Pat chops dry with paper towels and rub with salt. Arrange on wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet and freeze until chops are firm, at least 30 minutes but no more than 1 hour. Combine 2 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, and pepper in small bowl; set aside. Mix remaining butter, chives, mustard, and zest in another small bowl and refrigerate until firm, about 15 -minutes. (Butter-chive mixture can be refrigerated, covered, for 1 day.)

  2. GRILL CHOPS Pat chops dry with paper towels. Spread softened butter-sugar mixture evenly over both sides of each chop. Grill, covered, over hot fire until well browned and meat registers 145 degrees, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer chops to platter and top with chilled butter-chive mixture. Tent with foil and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

  3. THIN IS THE NEW THICK For juicy, nicely charred chops, try our method: salting, freezing, and brushing with softened butter before grilling. Salting ensures juicy chops: freezing promotes crust formation by drying the exterior and adding valuable minutes to the cooking time; butter accelerates browning and adds richness to the lean meat. WOULD YOU EAT THIS? Grilled straight from the package, this chop is dry, pale, and bland. NOW YOU’RE TALKING Salted, frozen, buttered, then grilled, this chop is juicy, browned, and flavorful.

  4. TWELVE STEPS TO PERFECT THIN-CUT PORK CHOPS – 1. CUT SLITS KEY STEP Using a knife, cut slits about 2 inches apart through the fat and connective tissue. WHY? So the pork chops won’t buckle and curl when exposed to high heat. 2. RUB WITH SALT KEY STEP Dry the chops, then rub them on both sides with salt. WHY? Surface moisture is the enemy of char. Rubbing the pork chops with salt draws out excess moisture so we can remove it. 3. SET ON RACK Arrange the chops on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. WHY? The chops won’t brown unless their surfaces are dry. The rack lets air circulate so that both sides of the chop dry out. 4. FREEZE BRIEFLY KEY STEP Freeze until the chops are firm—no more than an hour. WHY? The cold, dry air of the freezer both evaporates exterior moisture and chills the chops’ interior so that they can stay on the grill longer. 5. FLAVOR FINISHING BUTTER Combine butter, chives, mustard, and lemon zest and refrigerate until firm. WHY? After the chops are grilled, the butter and seasonings will add fat and flavor to otherwise lean chops. 6. PAT DRY Wipe off any remaining exterior moisture with paper towels. WHY? In case the freezer missed a spot. The drier the chops are, the better crust they’ll have. 7. SPREAD WITH BUTTER KEY STEP Spread softened, sweetened butter on both sides of the chops. The butter will harden on the frozen chops. WHY? The protein in the butter, combined with the sugar, accelerates browning. 8. HEAT GRILL Pour hot coals evenly over the bottom of the grill and heat for five minutes. For a gas grill, heat all burners on high for 15 minutes. WHY? The fire must be hot to char the chops without overcooking them. 9. CLEAN GRILL Use a grill brush to give your grill a good scrub and then oil it. WHY? A clean grill grate won’t impart off-flavors to the chops. Plus, it helps prevent the meat from sticking. 10. GRILL AND TEMP Grill the chops until they are well browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. The chops are done when they register 145 degrees. WHY? Precision—in this case determined by a thermometer—guarantees the best results. 11. TOP WITH BUTTER Place some compound butter on each chop. WHY? When the cold butter hits the hot chops, you’ll have an instant bright, buttery sauce. 12. LET REST Tent the chops with foil and let them sit for a few minutes. WHY? The foil tent keeps the chops warm, while the rest allows the meat juices to redistribute, which translates into juicier chops.

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