Pork Chops with Spiced Apples and Raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 F (170 C).

In a mixing bowl combine the water, brown sugar, sea salt, apple juice, peppercorns, and thyme. Give it a good stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Transfer the mixture to an extra-large re-sealable plastic bag. Submerge the pork chops in the brine, seal up the bag, and put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours (no more) to tenderize the meat. A longer briner period will result in over-tenderizing the pork chops.

Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides of the meat with salt and pepper. Put a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add a 3-count drizzle of olive oil and get it hot.

Lay 2 pork chops in the pan (most likely only 2 of these massive pork chops will fit comfortably) and brown 4 minutes per side. Remove the pork chops to a large baking pan; brown the remaining 2 chops and add them to the others in the pan.

Put the baking pan in the oven and roast the chops for 30 minutes. The center of chop should still be slightly rosy and the internal temperature should be 140 to 145 degrees F when tested with an instant-read thermometer.

While the chops cook, melt the butter in a clean skillet over medium-low heat. Add the apples and thyme and coat in the butter; cook and stir for 8 minutes to give them some color.

Toss in the raisins and add the apple juice, stirring to scrape up the brown bits. Stir in the brown sugar, spice blend, and dry mustard; season with salt and pepper.

Squeeze in the juice from the lemon and simmer for 10 minutes or until the apples break down and soften. Spoon the spiced apples over the pork chops and serve.