- 1/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 cups boiling water
- 3 cups ice cubes
- 4 bone-in, center-cut pork chops, 1/2-3/4 inch thick (1 3/4-2 pounds), trimmed
- 2 ripe but firm peaches, pitted and quartered, or 3 cups frozen sliced peaches
- 1 medium tomato, quartered and seeded
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion, preferably Vidalia
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
Place 1/4 cup of salt and brown sugar in a medium heat proof bowl. Pour in the boiling water and stir to dissolve the salt and brown sugar. Add ice cubes and stir the mixture to cool it. Add the pork chops, cover and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Puree the peaches, tomato and vinegar in a food processor until smooth.
About 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook the pork chops, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the peach puree, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, honey and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the sauce until it's reduced by about half, 20 to 25 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce for basting the chops; keep the remaining sauce warm in the saucepan until you are ready to serve the meal.
Preheat the grill to medium. Remove the pork chops from the brine (discard the brine), rinse the chops well, and thoroughly dry them with paper towels. Season the chops with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and brush both sides with some of the reserved sauce.
Grill the pork chops, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 145°F, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, tent with foil and let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve with the warm peach barbecue sauce on the side.
To start ahead: Brine the pork chops (Step 1) for up to 4 hours. Refrigerate the peach barbecue sauce (Step 3) for up to 5 days.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 75 minutes