Pork Chop Qapla!
The cast of characters:
The parsnip puree contains a couple of medium parsnips, a small potato, butter, white pepper and chicken stock.
The bourbon-brown sugar reduction contains pork drippings, brown sugar, salt and pepper, white vinegar and flour.
I rubbed the chop with my homemade jerk rub a couple of hours before dinner to let it really set up in the meat. The jerk rub is as follows (this makes a LOT more than you need, but then you have some around for other meals):
The pepper part of the salsa was put together a while ago when I made a mess of burritos that I freeze for a quick dinner, I just added a half a diced apple and a handful of raisins to it. I cut a small slit in the side of the pork chop and moved my knife around until I created a large pocket with a small opening. I then stuffed the chop with the salsa until no more would fit.
Then I peeled and cut into small pieces the potato and parsnips for the puree and put them in a small pan with salted water.
I took a large cast iron pan, added a little olive oil and let it get good and hot. I then seared one side of the pork chop for about 2-3 minutes until it got a nice, brown crust. I flipped it over, put my handy-dandy meat thermometer into the thickest part and stuck the whole pan into the oven. Then I started the puree a-boiling.
When the meat thermometer read 150 degrees F, I removed the pan and put the pork chop on a plate to rest. About this time the potato and parsnips were nice and soft so I strained them and tossed them into the blender with a tablespoon of butter, some white pepper and a couple of tablespoons of chicken stock, set the whole thing on "puree" and turned back to the pan with all the delicious pork drippings in it.
Over medium high heat I whisked in about a 1/2 tablespoon of flour into the drippings until it was nicely mixed and then added about two ounces of bourbon, a 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar, a tablespoon of white vinegar, some salt and pepper and a little bit of lemon juice. I kept whisking it until it reached a gravy-like consistency.
The parsnip puree went down first, then the pork chop on top and I drizzled the bourbon mixture over the whole thing.
Served with green beans on the side it was possibly the best composed dish I've ever made. It was sweet, savory and hot at the same time and super tasty! Too bad I was cooking for myself. I can't wait to make it for Kate.
- A big ol' bone-in pork chop
- Jerk Rub
- Apple-Raisin-Pepper Salsa
- Parsnip puree
- Bourbon-brown sugar reduction
The parsnip puree contains a couple of medium parsnips, a small potato, butter, white pepper and chicken stock.
The bourbon-brown sugar reduction contains pork drippings, brown sugar, salt and pepper, white vinegar and flour.
I rubbed the chop with my homemade jerk rub a couple of hours before dinner to let it really set up in the meat. The jerk rub is as follows (this makes a LOT more than you need, but then you have some around for other meals):
- 1/4 cup brown sugar; light is best
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp allspice
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
The pepper part of the salsa was put together a while ago when I made a mess of burritos that I freeze for a quick dinner, I just added a half a diced apple and a handful of raisins to it. I cut a small slit in the side of the pork chop and moved my knife around until I created a large pocket with a small opening. I then stuffed the chop with the salsa until no more would fit.
Then I peeled and cut into small pieces the potato and parsnips for the puree and put them in a small pan with salted water.
I took a large cast iron pan, added a little olive oil and let it get good and hot. I then seared one side of the pork chop for about 2-3 minutes until it got a nice, brown crust. I flipped it over, put my handy-dandy meat thermometer into the thickest part and stuck the whole pan into the oven. Then I started the puree a-boiling.
When the meat thermometer read 150 degrees F, I removed the pan and put the pork chop on a plate to rest. About this time the potato and parsnips were nice and soft so I strained them and tossed them into the blender with a tablespoon of butter, some white pepper and a couple of tablespoons of chicken stock, set the whole thing on "puree" and turned back to the pan with all the delicious pork drippings in it.
Over medium high heat I whisked in about a 1/2 tablespoon of flour into the drippings until it was nicely mixed and then added about two ounces of bourbon, a 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar, a tablespoon of white vinegar, some salt and pepper and a little bit of lemon juice. I kept whisking it until it reached a gravy-like consistency.
The parsnip puree went down first, then the pork chop on top and I drizzled the bourbon mixture over the whole thing.
Served with green beans on the side it was possibly the best composed dish I've ever made. It was sweet, savory and hot at the same time and super tasty! Too bad I was cooking for myself. I can't wait to make it for Kate.
Comments