Do You Rinse Brined Pork Chops? Everything You Need To Know

The best pork chops are made with a quick brine of simple pantry items. Once you see how easy it is, you’ll always brine your pork.

Brining pork chops before cooking is a great way to help them stay moist and flavorful However, there is some debate around whether you should rinse brined pork chops before cooking In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of rinsing brined pork chops so you can decide what works best for your cooking.

What is Brining?

Brining is the process of soaking meat in a saltwater solution (known as a brine) before cooking. The brine is typically made by mixing water, salt, and sometimes sugar and flavorings like herbs and spices.

When the raw meat soaks in the brine, the salt in the solution helps the meat retain moisture. The salt dissolves some of the muscle proteins which allows the meat to absorb and hold on to more moisture as it cooks. This helps keep the cooked meat juicier.

Brining also seasons the meat and can infuse it with flavors from any aromatics like garlic, peppers, or bay leaves added to the brine. It’s especially useful for leaner cuts of meat like pork chops which can easily dry out during cooking.

Should You Rinse Brined Pork Chops?

Whether you rinse brined pork chops or not comes down to personal preference. Here are some pros and cons to help decide what will work best for you:

Pros of Rinsing

Removes excess surface salt. While the brining process helps meat retain moisture, it can also make the exterior surface salty. Rinsing removes some of this superficial salt.
Allows seasoning with other flavors If you want to season the pork further after brining, rinsing provides a ‘clean slate’ for the new seasonings
Improves texture. Rinsing may slightly improve texture by removing residual brine solution from the surface.

Cons of Rinsing

Removes some beneficial flavor. While rinsing removes excess salt, it also rinses off some of the flavored brine ingredients. This can reduce the flavor impact of the brine.
Reduces juiciness. Rinsing may rinse away a small amount of the moisture absorbed into the meat during brining.
Requires pat drying. Rinsing introduces water to the surface that needs to be patted off before cooking. Skipping the rinse eliminates this step.

How to Rinse Brined Pork Chops

If you opt to rinse your pork chops after brining, follow these steps:

Remove chops from the brine and discard used brine solution.
Rinse the pork chops under cold running water. Rinsing with cold water prevents the meat from absorbing more water.
Pat the chops very dry with paper towels. Remove as much moisture as possible.
Season or cook as desired. The chops are now ready for your favorite seasoning or cooking method.

Tips for Brining Pork Chops

Here are some additional useful tips for brining pork chops:

Use a 5-10% salt to water ratio. 1/2 to 1 cup salt per gallon of water is a good guideline.
Add sugar, herbs, and spices to the brine for extra flavor.
Chill the brine before adding the meat.
Brine for 30 minutes up to 8 hours. Longer than that may make the meat too salty.
Choose a non-reactive container like glass or stainless steel. Don’t use aluminum.
Flip the chops over at least once during brining to expose all sides.
Pat off any seasoned liquids after removing from the brine.

Whether or not to rinse brined pork chops comes down to personal preference and the flavor outcomes you’re looking for. Rinsing provides some benefits like removing excess surface salt but also takes away some of the brine’s infused flavor. Following the tips above for an effective brine and properly rinsing and drying when choosing to rinse will set you up for tasty, juicy pork chops. Trust your preferences to decide on rinsing or skipping it.

do you rinse brined pork chops

How long to brine pork chops?

When trying to figure out how long to brine pork chops, the first thing you notice is that everyone has a different answer.

Ive seen some sites say as long as 8-24 hours and others as little as 15 minutes.

I find that the smaller the piece of meat, the less time it needs to brine.

I recommend brining around 1 to 2 hours, but no longer than 4. After brining my chops for an hour, they were just right! If your chops are thicker, you can go for two to three hours or even four.

Why brine pork chops?

Sure, pork chops taste great even if they aren’t brined, but one bite of a tasty brined pork chop will hook you.

All of the flavors in the brine get deep into the pork during the brining process, giving it a great flavor.

They also come out incredible juicy and and tender!

The best part is that the brine I’m showing you today is very simple and can be made with things you already have in your kitchen.

do you rinse brined pork chops

This is a simple basic brine that will work for pork and chicken.

Its great because its easily made from pantry ingredients. Before I smoke my pork chops, I put them in this brine, which keeps them so juicy, tender, and tasty!

You can use Himalayan Pink Salt, Grey Sea Salt, or Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. You want to use a coarse salt.
Brown Sugar – I used light. Darker will provide a deeper flavor.
Pork Chops – bone in for me!
Water – I use filtered water from my fridge.

These are optional ingredients that you can add to the brine.

Garlic Cloves – 3-5 garlic cloves, lightly smashed.
Bay Leaves – I sometimes add 4.
Whole Cloves – a few.
Black Peppercorns – about 3 tablespoons.
Juniper Berries – about a tablespoon, crushed with a knife.
Fennel Seed – about a tablespoon.

Brining Pork Chops (Simple Recipe!)

FAQ

Should I rinse pork after brining?

Some people wash their meat after brining. You can do this, but just patting them dry works as well. Personal preference!

What to do after you brine pork chops?

Once the pork chop is finished brining, you’ll remove it from the solution and pat it dry. From here, you can get as creative as you please with spices and other seasonings. Make a paste with your favorite ground spices (cumin, paprika, and chili powder would all be great) and some oil, then rub it on the chops.

What to do with pork after brining?

Remove pork from brine and rinse under running water. You don’t want any stray herbs or peppercorns sticking to the meat. Dry with paper towels, and then cook. You can reserve in the fridge, uncovered until you’re ready to cook them.

Do you rinse brined meat before cooking?

What to Do After the Meat Is Brined. After waiting the appropriate amount of time, remove the meat from the brine and pat it dry with a paper towel. You won’t need to rinse it with fresh water unless you accidentally brined it for too long. From here, cook the meat according to your favorite recipe.