Blue Moon Recipe: Summer Honey Ale Brined Pork Chops

In this latest edition of the Blue Moon Recipe development, the task was summer grilling and the beer was Blue Moon’s Summer Honey Ale. Brining has become very popular in lots of restaurants, and is a great way to treat pork. I took this idea and added the Summer Honey Ale to my brine along with a handful of other classic brining ingredients. The bone-in pork chops sat overnight and acquired all those lovely flavors. To accompany, I used some more of the beer to make a Mustard Ale sauce. A light gravy which added a great compliment to the pork.

The pork chops turned out awesome. Moist and juicy, there was plenty of drippings on everyone’s chin. I served these up with some classic mashed potatoes, cut with some Ricotta cheese, and a take on “apple sauce,” which was caramelized onions and sautéed apples with some spices. This dish is very easy to execute, and very delicious. Don’t forget to enjoy with a Summer Honey Ale!

Method Brine: Heated until honey & salt are dissolved, then cool mixture. Pork Chops are submerged in Brine over night (ideally) Chops: Placed on a hot grill, cooked at 5 min per side, depending on thickness. Served with Mustard Ale Sauce (recipe follows) Garnish with apple slices. Sauce: Combine all ingredients in a sauce-pan. Simmer for 20-30 min until reduced well enough to coat a spoon. Serve over grilled Pork Chops!