Natural cutlets in sweet tea brine with pepper relish

Ingredients:

• 4 natural pork chops, bone-in, center cut (2" thick; approximately 5 lbs total weight)
• 4 orange pekoe tea bags
• 1 cup of sugar
• 6 bay leaves (preferably fresh)
• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• Half an onion, diced
• 2 Fresno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup apricot jam
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Preparation:

1. Prepare the brineBring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags, and let steep for 10 minutes. Then discard the bags. Stir in 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup salt, bay leaf, and coriander seeds. Heat over low heat, stirring, until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, pour into a large heatproof pitcher (set the saucepan aside), and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate the brine for at least 1 hour, until very cold. Pour the brine into the saucepan and add the pork chops. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the pepper relish.To make the relish: Place the bell pepper, onion, and chili in a food processor and pulse 2-3 times until the peppers are finely chopped (but not to the consistency of a paste). Transfer to a small saucepan and add the vinegar, apricot jam, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has slightly evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl, and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can make the relish up to 1 day in advance.
3. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Brush the grill grates with vegetable oil. Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry. Season with salt and black pepper. Grill, covered, until well-charred, 14 to 16 minutes (rotate the chops 90 degrees if they are browning too quickly).
4. Flip the patties and cook, covered, until crispy marks appear on the other side and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 145°F (63°C), another 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for about 10 minutes. Serve with pepper relish.