Secret to tender pork

Beer-Brined Pork Chops with Onion Marmalade

You might have tried brining a turkey, but other meats benefit from a soak in a salt-sugar liquid too. Pork, for instance: Bred leaner and leaner the last few years, it tends to dry out quickly. Chops can be downright unforgiving when overcooked.

Aside from making lean meat more moist and tender, brining can also bring different flavors to the table. Here we’ve used an amber-ale brine for a tangy echo to a sweet onion marmalade topping. Just put the chops in the brine in the morning, then cook the onions right before dinner.