October 12, 2012: The Perfect Pork Chop!

Oven-ready!

I’m a big fan of pork chops, but usually only when I make them.  Like fireworks, dry ice, and raw milk cheese, the proper care and preparation of pork chops cannot be entrusted to just anyone.  Many high-end restaurants seem to know what they’re doing, while my buddy Rob, an avowed pork aficionado, certainly knows his way around a good belly rack.  Still, I’ve sat down to way too many disastrous attempts, overcooked offerings possessed of the flavor and intensity of pressed balsa wood shavings, to trust just anybody.

No, if I’m feeling in the mood for a good pork chop, then I’m making it myself – thanks to this tried and true recipe which borrows elements from America’s Test Kitchen to create: The Perfect Pork Chop!

1. Pick up a great pork chop.  I’d recommend berkshire or kurobota, the Cadillac of porks (or, if you like, the Aston Martin and Lexus’s of porks).  Make sure it’s a nice plump cut.  Your thinner chops will dry out far too easily.  I prefer a nice double-chop.

2. For an even more tender chop, I recommend brining your pork. Dissolve a cup of salt and a cup of sugar into enough water to cover the pork.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

3. Remove your pork from the refrigerator about a half hour before you plan to cook it.  Rinse off the brine, pat dry, and let it sit for those thirty minutes to bring it to room temperature.

4. Season generously.  I mix together coarse salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, and rosemary in a small bowl, and then rub it into the chop.

5. Flour your chop.  Ensure it is well-coated, then set aside while you -

6. Render down three strips of bacon in a pan.  Remove the bacon and set aside.

7. Turn the heat up to medium-high.  Add extra oil if necessary.

8. Reflour the pork chop and then, when the pan is hot enough, put the chop in the pan.

9. Sear for about 2 minutes each side or until you achieve a gorgeous golden crust.  Use tongs to sear  the fatty circumference as well.  Then, take it off the heat.

10. Smash a clove of garlic and set it atop the chop along with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

11. Drop a nob of butter in the still hot pan and, once its melted, baste the smashed garlic and rosemary with the butter and oil.

12. Put it in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.  You can use a meat thermometer.  Once it reads 140, pull it out of the oven.

13. Tent your pork (cover it with aluminum foil) and let it rest for ten minutes.

14. And serve – The Perfect Pork Chop!

If you do try it out, let me know how it goes.

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