- 6 thick-cut bone-in pork chops, about 10 ounces each
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil

1. At least two hours before you plan to serve the chops, make the brine. Stir the kosher salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, thyme sprigs and garlic cloves into the boiling water and let the mixture steep for 20 minutes. Stir in the apple cider and the apple cider vinegar. Chill the brine, then add the chops. The chops and brine can be held in a heavy-duty Ziploc bag or in a non-reactive (glass or enameled) baking dish covered with plastic wrap. Allow the chops to soak in the cold brine for at least 2 hours, or for as long as 8 hours before cooking.

2. Thirty minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the olive oil in a big sauté pan over medium-high heat and sear the chops, three at a time until they are well-browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Discard any olive oil remaining in the pan.