The Liquid Gold That Gives You Tender Pork Chops Every Time

Some home cooks avoid pork chops like the plague, as one false move can take them from tender to tough in moments flat, and no one wants shoe leather for dinner. That's why recipes that call for marinades and brines, like aromatic smothered pork chops, are so popular — these methods help tenderize pork chops and infuse them with moisture as they cook. The best part is that one of the most effective marinades for pork chops is also inexpensive and one of the most delicious — simple, ordinary apple juice.

It's no secret that apples and pork chops are a match made in heaven, mostly due to the fact that their flavors are the perfect complement to each other. Pork's mild, savory flavor can sometimes cross over to sour if it's prepared incorrectly, and apples mask this with their light, fruity acidity. That very acidity is what makes apple juice an effective marinade, as it's just caustic enough to tenderize the chops and infuse them with sweet flavor, but not so acidic that it causes the meat to seize or become mealy.

You can marinate your pork chops in apple juice alone for an hour or two, or go a step further and make a true marinade with the addition of fat (olive oil or melted butter work great, here). However, for truly fork-tender, juicy pork chops, brining is the way to go, and it's easy to make a delicious brine with an apple juice base for even more concentrated flavor.

Though a splash of plain apple juice may be what your slow cooker pulled pork needs, mixing it with salt not only turns it into a beautifully tenderizing brine, it also tames a little of the juice's sugary sweetness, which produces a more nuanced flavor profile. You can also add things like freshly cracked pepper, smashed garlic cloves, and a bundle of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage. Though some recipes call for diluting the apple juice with water or chicken broth, you can also use apple juice alone for a more concentrated apple-y flavor.

Heating the brine a little can help dissolve the salt into it, as you'll want an evenly mixed ratio of about ½ tablespoon per cup of liquid. Warming the brine can also help release the flavors in the other ingredients to unify them. Allow the brine to cool completely before submerging your pork chops, as any residual heat left in the liquid can begin to cook them prematurely. It's also important to warm your apple juice brine to just below simmering, as letting it simmer or come to a boil could start to scorch the natural sugars in it.

As mentioned, the acids in the apple juice will gently tenderize the pork, while the salt in the brine actually increases its capacity to hold liquid. That means your chops will absorb more of the apple juice, ensuring they'll be juicy, tender, and full of nuanced fruity flavor.