Reisterstown Road-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 developed and reviewed.

Juicy pork chops brined in sweet tea with a hint of citrus, then grilled to perfection for a tender, flavorful main dish. This American-inspired Easter recipe, ready in about 30 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 320 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: 15 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 American cuisine 320 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan, remove from heat, and steep 4 black tea bags for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp orange zest, and 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns until dissolved. Let the brine cool to room temperature.
  2. Step 2: Place 4 bone-in pork chops in a large resealable plastic bag or container and pour the cooled sweet tea brine over them. Seal and refrigerate for 4 hours.
  3. Step 3: Remove pork chops from the brine, pat dry with paper towels, and discard the brine. Brush each pork chop with 2 tbsp olive oil and season lightly with additional black pepper if desired.
  4. Step 4: Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Grill pork chops for 5 minutes per side until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F and have nice grill marks.
  5. Step 5: Remove chops from the grill and rest for 5 minutes, garnishing with 4 sprigs of fresh thyme before serving.

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