In a medium saucepan, bring the buttermilk, water, salt, pepper, maple syrup, mustard and sage leaves to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve salt. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the ice and let the brine cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Place the pork chops into a large zip-top plastic bag and pour the brine over the meat. Seal and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry. Discard the brine.
Drizzle the olive oil into a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pork chops in the skillet and cook about 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until the internal temperature is 145 degrees. Remove and let the meat rest 3 to 4 minutes before serving.
½ cup water
¼ cup kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ cup maple syrup (grade B)
2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
¼ cup torn fresh sage leaves
1 cup ice
2 bone-in, 1-inch-thick pork chops
1 Tbsp. olive oil
This article appears in Guide to Beer 2015.