Bourbon Pecan Pork Chops With Sweet Potato Mash

Bourbon Pecan Pork Chops With Sweet Potato Mash
"A Southern Classic"
Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients
4 thick cut bone-in pork chops
cracked black pepper
1 tbsp Herb de Provence
garlic powder
4 sweet potatoes, foil wrapped ready to bake

Brown Sugar Brine
Ingredients
8 cups cold water
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup kosher salt

Directions
24 hours prior to grilling the pork chops, you have to brine them.  In a large plastic container with lid, add the 8 cup of water, brown sugar and salt; stir until the sugar and salt dissolve.  Place the chops in the brine, make sure the pork is submerged in the brine.  Place lid on and put in the refrigerator for 24 hours. 
Once ready to grill, take chops out of the brine and wipe all liquid from the chops and then season on both sides with the cracked black pepper, Herb de Provence and garlic powder.  ( No need to salt your chops, the brine did that for you!)   Grill your pork chops to your liking, for medium-well internal temperature is 155 degrees, for well-done it will be between 165-170 degrees.  Let chops rest for 5 minutes before plating.
To make the Sweet Potato Mash; Heat oven to 425 degrees F, place foil wrapped sweet potato directly on the rack with the foil seam side up.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and with mitts on hands, peel back foil and slit down the middle of the cooked potato and scoop out potato pulp (no skin).
Place pulp in mixing bowl and mash with potato masher. (No seasoning necessary, the flavor will come from the Bourbon Pecan Sauce!)  Place Sweet Potato Mash on serving platter, lay grilled chops on top.  Spoon Bourbon Pecan Sauce on top of grilled pork chops
Serves 2 for double chops
Serves 4 for single chops

Bourbon Pecan Sauce
Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
1 cup pecans
1/4 cup Bourbon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
In a small pot, add butter on low heat, add the brown sugar, apple juice, pecan and vanilla extract.  melt sugar fully, stir constantly so the sugar does not burn.  Remove the pot from the heat source before adding the Bourbon. (Take precautions, the heat can ignite the alcohol!)  Place back on heat until nice and bubbly.  Spoon sauce over the grilled pork chops and sweet potatoes.