Pineapple Cider Brine Pork Chops w/ Root Beer Pineapple BBQ sauce for Magazine Monday

Magazine Mondays is hosted by Ivonne over at Cream Puffs in Venice. All 3 of these recipes are loosely based on recipes from magazines, but the main ingredients have been changed to protect my family. No seriously, the main ingredients were changed to make my family happy as the original recipes had ingredients that my family just won't eat! Also Healthy Helpings is debuting over at ThE KraZy KitcHen tomorrow. Stop by and join in.

When I do 'recipe experiment' night I try to do EVERY part of the meal as a new recipe. Some times I get lucky and they ALL are worth sharing. I'm a 'no measure' cook, well at least a no exact measure cook so when I invent a new recipe, it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. But, today worked!

PINEAPPLE CIDER BRINE PORK CHOPS

1 1/2 cup water
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sea salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
4 thick pork chops

• In a large sauce pan whisk together water, cider vinegar, sea salt and brown sugar together until salt and sugar are dissolved.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add seasonings and blend well.
• Slow simmer 10 minutes.
• Cool.
• Immerse pork chops and soak 12-24 hours. I used my 8 cup pampered chef batter bowl so the chops had plenty of room to 'swim'.
• Drain chops.
• Grill or broil 5-6 minutes on each side.
• Heat enough Root Beer Pineapple BBQ sauce to cover the chops.
• Brush each side of chops with BBQ sauce for the last few minutes.

ROOT BEER PINEAPPLE BBQ SAUCE

12 ounce MUG root beer
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
4 tablespoons butter
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
4 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sun dried tomato pesto
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon Frank's hot sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch

• Melt butter in a large saucepan.
• Add onions and garlic, Saute' until tender.
• Add other ingredients, except cornstarch, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
• Remove 1 cup of sauce and whisk cornstarch into it.
• Return mixture to the sauce pan and simmer 15 minutes.
• Cool 15 minutes.
• Refrigerate,
• Makes 4 cups.