Apple Cinnamon Tea-Brined Pork Chops with Roasted Apples
A simple weeknight pork chop brined in strong apple cinnamon black tea, seared, then served with roasted apples and onions for a savory take on a sweet flavor pairing.
Brining meat in tea is an underrated trick, and apple cinnamon black tea is an especially good candidate because its fruit and spice notes do double duty — they season the meat from the inside while the tannins help keep it tender and juicy through a hot sear.
The brine here is simple: strong-brewed tea, salt, brown sugar, and a splash of apple cider vinegar to round out the acidity. As the pork chops sit, they pick up a faint apple-cinnamon perfume that becomes much more pronounced once they hit a hot pan and caramelize.
Roasting apples and onions alongside the chops ties the dish together visually and flavor-wise. The onions turn jammy and sweet, the apples soften just enough to hold their shape, and both pick up the pan drippings left behind by the seared pork.
This is a great cool-weather dinner that takes the comforting flavor of the tea and turns it into a full plate — proof that 'dessert flavors' like apple and cinnamon can work just as well in a savory main course as they do in a mug.
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops, about 1 inch thick
- 2 cups strong-brewed apple cinnamon black tea, cooled
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 firm apples, cored and sliced into wedges
- 1 yellow onion, sliced into wedges
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp butter
- Fresh thyme for garnish
How to make it
- 1Brew the tea extra strong (double the usual leaf) and let it cool completely. Stir in salt, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar until dissolved to make the brine.
- 2Submerge the pork chops in the brine and refrigerate for 1–2 hours (no longer, or the meat can become too salty).
- 3Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss apple wedges and onion wedges with 1 tbsp olive oil, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Spread on a roasting tray and roast 15 minutes.
- 4Remove pork chops from the brine and pat very dry. Season lightly with pepper (the brine already adds salt).
- 5Heat remaining olive oil and butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chops 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal temp 63°C / 145°F).
- 6Add the seared chops to the tray with the apples and onions for the final 5 minutes of roasting. Rest 5 minutes, garnish with fresh thyme, and serve together.
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