Natural grilled pork cutlets with roasted garlic gremolata

Ingredients:

Pork

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup coarse salt
• 2 tbsp. l. smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp pink peppercorns
• 4 fresh sage leaves
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 2 natural pork cutlets on the bone, 400 g each (approximately 3 cm thick)

Gremolata

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 head of garlic, separated into cloves, peeled
• 0.5 cup finely chopped parsley
• Grated zest of 3 lemons

Preparation:

1. Brine for pork:

   In a large bowl, combine 1 liter of warm water, brown sugar, salt, and paprika and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add peppercorns, sage, thyme, and rosemary and let cool to room temperature. Place the pork chops in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the gremolata:

   Preheat oven to 250°F (135°C). Combine olive oil and garlic in a small baking dish. Cover with foil and roast until the garlic is completely soft, about 1 hour. Remove the garlic from the oven and let it cool in the oil. Drain the oil, but do not discard it. Chop enough roasted garlic to make 1 tablespoon. Set aside the remaining roasted garlic for another use.
3. In a small bowl, combine the parsley, lemon zest, chopped roasted garlic, and 1/2 cup garlic oil; season with salt and pepper. Use the remaining garlic oil to brush the pork.

4. Fry the pork:

   Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry. Lightly brush them with garlic oil and season with pepper. Cook, moving as needed to prevent flare-ups, until a nice crust forms and a meat thermometer inserted into the pork registers 135°F (57°C) for medium, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 8 minutes.
5. Remove the meat from the bones and slice across the grain. Serve with gremolata.