Brined Pork Chops with Apples

Brine:
4 cups apple cider
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3 TBSP coarsely ground black pepper
2 TBSP dried rubbed sage
1 TBSP ground cinnamon
8-10 1 1/2 inch thick center-cut pork loin chops, trimmed of excess fat

Pork:
1 TBSP olive oil

1 onion- thinly sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup apple juice
2 TBSP raisins ( I used craisins)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 TBSP Dijon Mustard


Preparation-
For brine: Combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Stir until sugar and dissolve. Add pork chops to brine. Top with plate to submerge pork. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.

For pork: Drain brine from pork chops. Pat pork dry. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add pork and cook until brown but not cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork to plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to same skillet. Cover and cook until onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add apples and saute until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth and cider, apple juice, raisins and ginger, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add cream and mustard. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pork. Cover; cok 3 minutes. Turn pork over and cook until thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150' F, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to plates.

Simmer sauce until lightly thickened, about 4 minutes longer. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon over pork and serve.