Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions

The other day I posted a recipe for a pork chop brine. I thought it might be good to give an idea for something you could do with the chops once they are brined. This is a super-simple recipe that will come out tasting great whether your pork chops are brined or not. If they are not, simply salt them liberally on both sides before browning them.


2 tsp Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, Thinly Sliced
1 tsp Olive Oil
2 Center Cut Pork Chops, Brined if you have time, salted if not
1/2 Cup White Wine, Chicken Broth or Water

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until very soft and beginning to brown, 20-30 minutes.

Push the onions to the side of the pan and add 1 tsp more oil and turn the heat up to medium. Cook the chops until browned, 5-7 minutes per side.

Pour in the wine, broth, or water and stir to pick up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the pork chops are done (145 on an instant read thermometer), 8-10 minutes longer depending on the thickness of your chops.

Serve each pork chop with a big scoop of onions on top.

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Brine for Pork Chops

While not strictly necessary, I like to brine my pork chops when I think of it and have time. It adds just a bit of extra insurance that the chops will come out nice and moist and juicy. Brining the meat makes it both more flavorful and juicier, so if you happen to leave it cooking a few extra minutes, it will still be excellent.

This is a basic brine that I really like. You could add other flavors with different types of sugar or honey, different vinegars, citrus juice, a little heat from chili flakes...You get the idea.

1 Cup Broth
2 Tbsp Salt
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Cold Water
2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp Peppercorns
1 Clove Garlic, Peeled and Smashed
2 Center Cut Pork Chops

Combine the broth, salt, and brown sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour into a shallow bowl, and add the cold water, cider vinegar, bay leaf, peppercorns and garlic. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before adding the pork chops. Cover and refrigerate from 4-8 hours. Remove the pork chops from the brine, pat dry, and cook according to your recipe as you would non-brined chops.

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