Something to chew on: In an average month this year, recipe hunters launched 9.2 million online searches for pork chop dishes. This places pork chops in the No. 1 position on the list of most-searched-for recipes in 2012. The all-about-food website The Daily Meal figured this out, based on an analysis of various search engines. (Rounding out the top five: meatballs, chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies and bread.)

I approve of this interest in pork chops, an easy and often economical raw material for a meal — not as boring as a chicken breast or as mundane as a meatloaf.

One of the go-to recipes at my house is for pork chops with a tangy balsamic sauce. The dish relies on brining — a long soak in a saltwater bath — similar to what a lot of people do with their Thanksgiving turkeys. As long as you plan ahead enough to allow for the brining, the dish comes together pretty easily.

To totally understand brining is to grasp the chemical processes of diffusion and osmosis. Suffice it to say, the technique helps produce a tender, juicy end product by changing the protein structure of the meat so that it absorbs the brine’s water and its flavorings. It is a particularly good way to handle lean meats that tend to dry out when cooked.

This recipe is also a good make-ahead meal. You can brine, cook and slice the chops on the weekend, then quickly assemble the sauce on a weeknight, adding the sliced pork to the pan to warm it up.

PORK CHOPS WITH ROSEMARY-BALSAMIC SAUCE

4 8-ounce bone-in pork chops, about 3/4-inch thick
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

» Brine:
1 quart water
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar

» Balsamic sauce:
1 small onion, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh minced rosemary leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup water
1 bunch spinach leaves, trimmed, or a 6-ounce bag of pre-washed, trimmed spinach

Combine brine ingredients and stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Place pork chops in brine. Refrigerate at least 4 hours; overnight is OK.

Remove chops from brine; discard brine. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Pan-fry chops about 6 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove chops to plate; cover.

To make sauce: Using the same skillet, sauté onion in drippings from pork chops, cooking over medium heat until softened. Sprinkle with rosemary and brown sugar. Add vinegar, wine and water; let simmer until slightly thickened. Add spinach and stir until wilted.

Serve chops topped with sauce, or slice chops and stir into sauce for easier eating. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving (with one-sixth of brine absorbed): 470 calories, 28 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 110 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,000 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 35 g protein

Note: Pork chops can also be grilled. In that case, start sauce in skillet with 2 tablespoons butter, as you will have no pan drippings.

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Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S. Write "By Request," Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813. Email requests to bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com