Super Juicy Crusted Pork Chops With Fennel Pollen

• 2 bone in pork chops (if cooking 4 to 6, just double all other ingredients)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 cups water
• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 to 6 juniper berries
• 5 to 8 whole black peppercorns
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 garlic clove
• 3/4 teaspoon fennel pollen
• 1/8 & 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon Piment D'Espelette or 2 pinches of cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter

1. Lightly pound the pork chops (I just use the paper they came in or a plastic bag) avoiding the bone, just to flatten them slightly and make them even more tender. (If brining, you can skip this step. I like to do both)
2. Mix the salt and water, add the rest of the brining ingredients and submerge the pork chops. Place in the fridge and brine for 45 minutes put to 2 hours. (This is a good time to make your side, like my pear and manchego slaw)
3. Set up 3 bowls, one with the eggs, one with the flour and another with the breadcrumbs. Add 1/8 tsp of salt, 1/8 tsp of Piment D'Espelette (or substitute) and 1/4 tsp black pepper to the flour. Add 1/4 tsp salt and rest of Piment d'Espelette and pepper to the breadcrumbs. Divide the fennel pollen between the flour and breadcrumbs. Mix flour and breadcrumbs with spices and beat the eggs. It's a good idea to set up bowls in order for dipping: 1st flour, then eggs and then breadcrumbs.
4. Take a pork chop and dip it into the flour, making sure to coat all of it. Then dip in eggs and then coat well with the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the other pork chop (or others if cooking more) and then dip all the coated chops in into the eggs one more time and coat again with the breadcrumbs.
5. If your pork chops are very thick, preheat oven to 325 and finish cooking them in the oven so the crust doesn't burn. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium low heat. It's best to keep the heat on the lower side so the breadcrumbs don't brown too quickly. When the butter is melted and oil is hot, add the chops, 2 at a time, and cook without moving for 4 to 5 minutes. You want the crust to be golden, NOT dark brown. Take a peek, if it's browning too quickly, flip the chops sooner and lower heat slightly.
6. Turn chops over and cook other side, again for about 5 minutes. Chops are done when they register 145. If the crust is nice and golden, but chops are not done yet, cover the pan with foil and let them finish in the 325 oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
7. let the chops rest, loosely covered for 5 minutes before serving.

pork chops, kosher salt, water, thyme, bay leaf, berries, black peppercorns, eggs, flour, breadcrumbs, garlic, fennel pollen, salt, freshly ground black pepper, piment despelette, butter

Taken from food52.com/recipes/70490-super-juicy-crusted-pork-chops-with-fennel-pollen (may not work)