Brining together the Taste of Ham & Bacon in a Pork Chop that is cured for 24 hours. Either Pan Seared or Reversed Seared. This recipe uses 1 lb. of Pork Chops. For larger amounts, check out the Post to calculate the amount of Cure #1 or see the notes for a quick reference.
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet
- 1 Marinating Container or Large Ziploc Bag
- 1 Braising Pan if you plan on reverse searing
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Pork Chops - 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick
- 1/4 C Lard - or Rendered fat, Neutral Oil or Meat Oil
Ham Chop Cure
- 8 C Distilled Water
- 5 Tbl Kosher Salt
- 3 Tbl Sugar
- 2 Tbl Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 1 Tbl Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tsp Liquid Smoke
- 1/2 tsp Prague Powder #1
Instructions
- Combine Brine Solution together and mix well until everything is dissolved. Trim the Fat from the Pork Chops and refrigerate to render out the fat and sear the Pork chops the next day, or freeze it to use for other recipes. Add Pork Chops to the Brine and make sure they are completely submerged. Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
- 24 hours later, drain out all the brine, wash & rinse the pork well. This will get rid of any excess salt on the surface. Fill up a bowl with cold water and allow the Pork Chops to soak there for 15 minutes or more.Remove the Pork Chops and Pat Dry.
Pan Seared Ham Chops
- Ideal for 1/2 inch Ham Chops; Place about 1/4 C of Fat in the pan or Render the Fat from the Trimmings and allow to heat up over medium heat until hot.
- Sear 1/2 inch Ham Chops until done, about 3 minutes each side, or longer if using Bone in Pork Chops. The Juices should run clear or an internal temp of at least 145 F. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Reverse Seared Ham Chops
- Ideal for 1 inch Ham Chops; Place the Ham Chops on a broiler pan into a preheated oven at 300 F for 30 minutes. When 10 minutes of cook time remain, heat the Fat up in a pan so that it is hot & ready when the Ham Chops come out of the oven. Sear the Ham Chops for 3 minutes per side. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
How much Curing Salt
75 (ppm) * (Total weight of both Meat & Water in grams) / .0625 (Nitrite amount) / 1,000,000 (million) = Curing salt needed in grams.- 1 lb. of Pork Chops with 8 Cups of water use 1/2 tsp or 2.8 g
- 2 lbs. use 3.4 g - 3.5 g of cure #1
- 3 lbs. use 3.9 g of cure #1
- 1 C Sunflower Oil - or other neutral oil
- 1 Tbl Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbl Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke - more if desired
- 1/2 tsp MSG - optional