Citrus-Brined Grilled Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 1/2 white onion, quartered
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup Morton kosher salt
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 orange, halved
• 1 lime, halved
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups ice
• 4 boneless pork chops, trimmed of any fat
• 1 tablespoon Morton kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Neutral oil, for grill

Directions

1. Start the brine in a medium pot: add the onion, garlic, salt, honey, peppercorns, orange, lime, and lemon. Pour in 2 cups of water, set the pot over medium-high heat, and bring it just to a gentle simmer. Stir as it heats so the honey and salt melt into the liquid.
2. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the ice so the brine cools to at least room temperature. When it is cool, pour it into a large dish and nestle in the pork chops. They need to sit under the liquid; if they bob up or peek out, set a small plate or bowl on top to hold them down.
3. Cover the dish and chill for at least 60 minutes; more time is fine. Stop before 24 hours, because after that the pork starts curing and the texture moves toward ham territory.
4. When grill time rolls around, lift the pork chops out of the brine and blot them dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix the rub spices, then coat the chops generously with that mixture.
5. Bring the grill up to medium-high heat. Swipe the grates with neutral oil using a clean rag, or a few paper towels, so the pork does not grab on.
6. Lay the pork chops on the grill and cook the first side for 5 to 6 minutes. For those tidy crosshatch marks, turn each chop 90 degrees after 3 minutes.
7. Turn the chops over and grill the other side for 4 to 6 minutes. Check the thickest part with an instant read thermometer; you are looking for 145 degrees F. That 145 degrees F mark is the FDA's recommended cooking temperature, and the centers will still look faintly pink. If the chops are thicker than 3/4-inch, plan on a few extra minutes and keep your eyes on the thermometer until they get there.
8. Move the finished chops to a plate and give them about 5 minutes to rest before you serve.
9. Slice the pork chops and bring them to the table with grilled fruit, like pineapple, and something green, like grilled Brussels sprouts; for the sprouts, use a grill pan over high heat for a few minutes, until you see charred spots.