Brined Pork Chops with Garlic and Sage

To prepare the brine, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the water, kosher salt, sugar, garlic, peppercorns, juniper berries, sage sprigs and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and add the ice cubes. Let the brine cool to room temperature, then add the pork chops. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C).

Remove the pork chops from the brine and discard the brine. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

In a cast-iron fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until it just starts to smoke. Add the pork chops and cook, turning once, until a deep golden crust forms, about 3 minutes per side. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the butter, garlic and sage leaves. When the butter has melted, tilt the pan and use a spoon to baste the chops with the butter. Cook until the garlic and sage leaves are crisp, about 1 minute; if they are getting too brown, transfer the garlic and sage to the top of the pork chops.

Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chops registers 145°F (63°C), about 5 minutes. Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired, and serve. Serves 2.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen