We have used the freeze thaw cycle to our advantage. Here we ask the question, can we use it to help tenderize pork chops and allow brine to be pulled in more efficiently? Our theory is that the freezing process will create thousands of microfissures in the meat, which will make it easier to cut and allow the brine to penetrate more efficiently. We made a buttermilk brine by addng 3% salt by weight to our liquid. We stirred the salt into the buttermilk until it dissolved and poured the mixture into a zip top bag. We added 4 thick cut pork chops and sealed the bag. We put the bag into a pan and froze the chops in brine. When the chops were rock solid we removed them from the freezer and let them thaw slowly in the refrigerator. The flavorful blend of salt and buttermilk is drawn into the microscopically damaged cells leaving us with meat that is well seasoned, tender and juicy.
Years Past
