I toyed with the idea of packaging some recipes with this week’s A la Carte story on free-range pork.
There’s been no shortage of variations on pork, from Asian to Indian to classic continental flavors, thanks to The Associated Press and other news services that deal in recipes. But any suggestion that readers should use Full Circle’s acorn-fed pork for anything other than the finest preparations would be both a waste of a money and a dismissal of Tobias Hatfield’s effort to raise an unparalleled pig.
While the pigs savor their last few acorns, though, the rest of us have to eat, albeit pedestrian cuts of meat. So some ideas for preparing quick-cooking pork chops seemed in order.
Pork chops remain a go-to meal for many families. When I was growing up, they were always braised in Campbell’s cream-of-mushroom soup and served atop white rice or buttered egg noodles. Comfort food, yes, but not exactly the best strategy for taking advantage of pork’s leanness.
Because much of the pork in grocery stores is so lean, it can easily be overcooked. A good pork chop should be juicy, appetizingly browned on the outside and slightly pink in the center.
To accomplish that feat, first select the right chops, either medium (3/4 inch to 1 inch) or thick (1 1/2 inches to 2 inches). Fat takes longer to cook, so trim off excess fat. And remember that bone-in chops will take a little longer then boneless chops.
Then approach cooking with four quick steps: Season the meat, sear it, make a sauce as you deglaze the pan and finish the meat in the sauce. The chops will only need to cook a total of about six to 10 minutes.
To test for doneness, make a tiny cut. If the juices run clear or very light pink, the pork chop is done. Or insert a meat thermometer into the side of the chop not touching the bone. It should read 132 F to 135 F after browning. Try your hand at these variations of the technique courtesy of the Los Angeles Times.
Pork Chops With Sage Cream
4 medium or thick boneless loin pork chops (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
1 clove garlic, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup good-quality chicken broth
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon minced sage
Pat any excess moisture from surface of the pork chops. Rub chops with the cut garlic; season with the salt and pepper.
Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chops until browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Chops should be not quite done. Remove chops from skillet to a plate. Cover and keep warm.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the minced garlic and saute about 10 seconds. Stir in the chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from pan’s bottom. Add the cream and sage; stir to blend.
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until sauce begins to thicken slightly, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add pork chops with any drippings back to skillet with sauce. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes, until chops are firm to the touch and just pink in center.
Makes 4 servings.
Week-Night Pork Chops
4 medium boneless loin pork chops (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
1 clove garlic, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup high-quality chicken broth
2 sprigs thyme
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or chervil
Pat any excess moisture from surface of the pork chops. Rub both sides of chops with the cut garlic. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops and sear 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned. Remove pork chops to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Pour off excess fat. Add the chicken broth, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add the thyme and the crushed garlic clove.
Bring sauce to a simmer and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 2 minutes. Add chops back to pan and cook 1 to 2 minutes to finish cooking. Remove chops from skillet.
Remove garlic and thyme. Add remaining 2 teaspoons butter, tilting pan and swirling butter until sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon sauce over chops. Sprinkle with the parsley or chervil and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Pork Chops With Wine Sauce
4 medium rib or loin pork chops (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 tablespoons minced carrots
2 tablespoons minced celery
1/3 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
Pat any moisture from surface of the chops. Season with the salt and pepper.
Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add pork chops to skillet and sear until both sides are nicely browned, about 3 to 4 minutes each side. Remove chops from skillet to a plate cover and keep warm.
Reduce heat to low. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of fat from skillet. Add the shallots, carrots and celery and quickly saute for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the white wine and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits from bottom.
Stir in the chicken broth. Bring sauce to a simmer; cook until reduced by half.
Add pork chops back into skillet, along with any drippings and simmer, spooning juices over chops as they cook, 1 to 2 minutes or until chops are firm and just pink in center. Remove chops from skillet.
Add remaining butter in small pieces, tilting pan and swirling butter until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve each chop with a little sauce spooned over top.
Makes 4 servings.
Pork Chops With Tomato Sauce
2 thick center-cut loin pork chops (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
1 clove garlic, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 cup seeded diced Roma tomatoes
1/3 cup chicken broth
Sprig of thyme
1 (3-inch) strip orange peel
12 small green olives
Pat any moisture from surface of the pork chops. Rub both sides of each chop with the cut clove of garlic. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper.
Heat the butter and oil in a heavy 10-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add pork chops and brown both sides of pork, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side. During last minute of cooking, turn pork chops on end to sear edges. Remove chops from skillet to a plate, cover and keep warm.
Add the minced garlic to skillet and saute about 10 seconds. Add the tomatoes, stirring to scrape up browned bits in pan’s bottom.
Stir in the chicken broth to deglaze pan. Add the thyme, orange peel and olives. Bring to a simmer and cook 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add browned pork chops with any drippings back into pan. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes, stirring sauce occasionally, until pork chops are still pink in center.
Makes 2 servings.
