Birmingham-Inspired Sweet Tea Brined Pork Chops

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Juicy pork chops brined in classic Southern sweet tea with spices, then pan-seared to golden perfection with a caramelized crust. This Southern American-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs bone-in pork chops, black tea bags, water for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 Southern American cuisine 350 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring 4 cups water to a boil and steep 4 black tea bags for 5 minutes. Remove bags and stir in 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 2 tbsp kosher salt until dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
  2. Step 2: Submerge 4 bone-in pork chops in the cooled sweet tea brine, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours.
  3. Step 3: Remove pork chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp smoked paprika.
  4. Step 4: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork chops and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until crust is caramelized and internal temperature reaches 145°F.
  5. Step 5: Remove chops from skillet, rest for 5 minutes, then serve warm.

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