Pork Chop Notes

1. All Pork Chops are taken from the loin – or the back
   1. Shoulder chop is closest to the head
      Lots of muscles and connective tissue
      Good for braising and slow cooking, but not for pan frying
   2. The rib chop is next – This is the front part of the center cut
      Cut these thick and cook with fast dry heat – like a BBQ grill
      Good for stuffing since it is an entire muscle
   3. The tenderloin and loin chop – This is the back of the center cut
      The pork equivalent of the T-bone and Porterhouse
      The loin and tenderloin cook at different rates
      Wrap the tenderloin with foil for the first half of the cooking process
   4. The sirloin chop is near the back of the hog
      Most amount of muscles and connective tissue
      Good for braising and slow cooking, but not for pan frying
2. Bone-in means more flavor.  Unless you have a specific reason, always use bone-in pork chops.
3. Frenching the pork chop means to scrape the meat off the bone to create a “handle.”
4. Consider a two-day brine otherwise it will taste dry – Bring 2 C apple cider to about 185º :: and add 1 C brown sugar, 1 C salt, 8 cloves, bay leaf, 1 tsp corriander and 1 TBL peppercorns, 1 TBL dry mustard.  Add 1.5 C ice after all solids are dissolved. Let cool, then marinate 24-48 hours in the fridge.  This will really enhance the flavor of your pork chops.

Basic Pork Chops

Beginner Pork Chops

A very easy recipe.  Use the above link or CLICK HERE

Novice Pork Chop

1. Season 2 bone-in pork chops with salt and pepper
2. Heat 2 TBL EVOO in a hot cast iron skillet
3. Sear pork chops till brown
4. Flip chops, then cook 1 minutes more
5. Set pork chops aside on a plate
6. Add minced garlic, onion, tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers and one chopped anchovy to the hot skillet.
7. When softened, add pork chops back into the pan.
8. Cook at 450º for 5 minutes

Fancy Pork Chop

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (bone-in) pork chops, 1 inch thick (with pockets for stuffing)
• BRINE – Let soak in brine overnight
  • 1/2 C orange juice
  • 1 TBL Worcestershire
  • 1/4 C white vinegar
  • 2 TBL sugar or Karo syrup
• STUFFING
  • 1 TBL butter
  • 2 TBL onion, finely chopped
  • 1 apple, finely chopped
  • 2 TBL water
  • 1 tsp celery – finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
• DREDGE INGREDIENTS
  • 2 eggs – beaten
  • 1/2 C flour
  • 1/2 C bread crumbs

STEP BY STEP

1. Mix brine in a baggie.  Marinate pork chop overnight, or at least 6 hours.
   PREPARE YOUR MEAT
2. When you are ready to cook, drain baggie and pat pork chop dry
3. Put pork chops in freezer to firm up
4. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
   CREATE YOUR STUFFING
5. Place butter in saucepan and saute onions in large skillet
6. Add apple and celery and saute 1 minute
7. Add all remaining stuffing ingredients to skillet
   STUFFING YOUR PORK CHOP
8. Remove pork chops from freezer and cut a pocket in them
9. Fill pork chops with prepared stuffing.
10. Fasten edges with wooden picks.
    COAT YOUR PORK CHOP
11. Dip pork chop in egg, then flour, then again in egg, then in bread crumbs
12. Place stuffed chops flat side down in single layer on top of a draining rack in a shallow baking pan
13. Cover pan tightly with foil.
14. Bake in moderate oven at 350 degrees about 1 hour.
15. Uncover and continue baking another 30 minutes

VARIATIONS

• Serve with cinnamon apple wedges or hot spiced applesauce

Braised Pork Chop

You can also use this recipe with ribs.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 pork loin or rib chops, about 1/2 inch thick
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice, apple juice or water (Try a can of pineapple slices)

STEP BY STEP

1. Cook pork chops over medium heat until brown: drain. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat; pour juice on pork. Cover and simmer untildone, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. My special touch with this recipe is to place pineapple slices on the chops and leave them while they simmer. I also salt and pepper to taste.
3. This recipe comes from a 30 year old Betty Crocker cookbook, so there’s no calorie information.

Use Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder for a dry rub, and coat liberally.

Stuffed Pork Chops

Fig-Stuffed Pork Chop

Pork Chops
Figs
Sugar
Sal/pepper
Rosemary
1 tblOil
1 Shallots
1 clove garlic
1 tsp Dijon
¾ cu beef stock
½ cu red wine
t tbl corn starch
1 tblbutter
chives
mustard seed

Step by Step

1. Halve figs, cut off ends, puree in chopper
2. Add scant sugar, salt/pepper, 1 tsp rosemary (some liquid).
3. With boning knife stick into middle to create pocket as small as possible. 
4. Use pastry bag inject stuffing.
5. Sear in hot oil 7-8 minutes, toast mustard seed in pan.

Rosemary Sauce
1 tbl oiol, 1 shallot, 1 clove garlic, ¾ beef stock, ½ cu red wine, 1 tsp Dijon, salt/pepper. Reduce/whisk, add 1 tbl cornstarch to thicken, 1 tbl butter.

Top w/ chives, rosemary, mustard seed

Pork Chop with Mushroom Stuffing

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
2 TBS green onions
4 oz mushrooms (coarsely chopped)
2 tsp fresh rosemary or oregano
pinch of salt & black pepper
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
2 pork chops WITHOUT marbeling

Instructions

1. Saute green onions
2. Add mushrooms and spices – cook 3-5 minutes
3. Make a pocket in each pork chop – Cut into, but not through
4. Spoon stuffing mixture into pork chop
5. Secure with wooden toothpicks
6. Grill as usual
7. Remove toothpicks before serving

Variations: Use brown crimini mushrooms for better mushroom flavor

Grandpa’s Stovetop Pork Chop

This is great for when you are on vacation and only have a skillet.

Ingredients

2 pork chops, 1 inch thick
1 Granny Smith apple (peeled, cored, diced)
1/2 small onion (sliced very thin)
1 tsp grated ginger
a few shakes allspice
a few shakes cayenne
1 CU appled cider
3 TBL brown sugar
1/8 tsp. Pepper

Instructions

1. Brine the pork chops (soak in salt water 1 hour)
2. Heat oil in dutch oven to smoke point
3. Put pork chop in and cover – cook 3 minutes
4. Flip pork chop – cook 3 more minutes
5. Remove pork chop from pan, cover with foil, set aside – let rest

– PREPARE SAUCE
6. Put onions into hot pan for two minutes
7. Add diced apple pieces – cook five minutes
8. Add all dry spices – cook three minutes
9. Add apple cider – cook until reduced and slightly thickened (about 5 minutes)
10. Dump any pork chop drippings back into pan and mix

Variations Serve with steamed asparagus

Notes Serve with cinnamon apple wedges or hot spiced applesauce