Brined Pork Chops with Maple Orange Glaze

Grilled fingerling potatoes with a dash of butter, salt, fresh ground pepper and chopped parsley are perfect to go underneath these pork chops.

Since the dish is sweet, I prefer to serve a caraway-seed cole slaw and baked beans as sides.
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate or juice of two tangerines
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped seeded chipotle with 1/2 teaspoon adobo
• 4 (3/4-inch thick) center cut pork loin chops (about 8 ounces each)
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• ½ cup apple cider
• ¼ cup apricot nectar
• 4 tablespoons kosher salt
Garnish:
• Zest of orange
• Minced fresh parsley

Heat cider, apricot nectar and kosher salt until the salt is dissolved completely. Cool and then pour into gallon size zip lock bags. Add pork chops and refrigerate overnight.
Heat grill to medium high
Remove pork chops from brine and rinse under cold water to remove excess salt, pat dry. Set aside for 5 minutes

In a small bowl combine the maple syrup, orange juice concentrate and chipotle.
Preheat grill pan. Sprinkle both sides of the chops with salt. Brush 1 side of chops generously with glaze. Place on grill pan glaze side down. Brush other side with glaze. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat.

Chef Judi Gallagher

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