¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar, divided
2 cups ice cubes
4 (1½-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Garnish: crushed red pepper, picked fresh rosemary
Instructions
In a large saucepan, combine 4 cups water, salt, and ¼ cup brown sugar; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until salt and sugar are dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add ice; stir until ice is melted and brine is cold.
Place pork chops in a large resealable plastic bag; add cooled brine. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible; place bag in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours up to 12 hours.
Remove pork chops from bag, discarding brine. Rinse pork chops, and pat dry.
In a 12-inch stainless-steel skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 pork chops; cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. (Reduce heat, if necessary, to prevent overbrowning.) Transfer pork chops to a large plate. Repeat with remaining 2 pork chops.
Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and garlic to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in broth, vinegar, mustard, rosemary, red pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons brown sugar, scraping browned bits from bottom of pot. Return pork to skillet; cook, turning occasionally, until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 145°, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove pork; let rest for 5 minutes. Cook sauce to desired thickness; spoon over pork chops. Garnish with red pepper and rosemary, if desired.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/mustard-glazed-pork-chops/