This year, pork production in the United States will surpass beef for the first time in almost 70 years. Pork has changed over the decades, much leaner, “meatier” to the taste.
Ah, the taste. With the fat down, the taste is down. A pork chop today simply does not have the fat-carried flavor of those distant —and I think better — porcine offerings. In the olden days, you could just cook the chops with salt and pepper. Now, you need some preparation to have something that is truly “good” to eat.
Here’s an easy, Southwestern style for your chops. Employ the chile jam of your choice, either on the sweet or the hot side. There are jars and jars out there, and you may already have some favorite flavors. You may even have a jar or two that have been sitting there in your cupboard for too long. Here’s a way to consume that jam and make the pork delectable.
Brian’s Pork Chops with Chile Jam
Yield: 4 chops, for 2 – 4 people
Ingredients:
- 4 thick pork chops
- 1 cup chile jam of your choice, hotter is better
- ½ cup orange or lemon juice
- 1 bunch of scallions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup of cilantro leaves, medium chopped
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
Wash and pat dry the chops.
In a large glass bowl, place the remaining ingredients and stir to mix. Break up the jam until you have a smooth liquid.
One by one, submerge the chops into the liquid until they are thoroughly covered. Place the bowl in your refrigerator and allow the meat to marinate for at least 2 hours.
An hour before cooking, remove the chops from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.
Heat a cast iron skillet with a thin coating of olive oil. Add the chops and cook, turning once. It’s probably 5-7 minutes a side with a target temperature of 150˚F. Remove and serve piping hot.
Source: Brian O’Rourke
Photo Information: Canon T2i, 18-55mm Macro Lens, f/4.5, 1/15th second, ISO-3200