Preparing Pork Chops

TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-421 -- More Projects »

Fill extra-thick pork chops with a dressing made from dried bread, fruit, nuts and herbs, then bake slowly for about an hour.

Chef Andrew Zimmern offers tips for preparing pork chops.

Pork chops that are at least an inch thick have a better chance of being tender and juicy. Anything thinner tends to dry out.
For best results, choose pork chops that are a solid pink color. Grayish-white, discolored pork chops are old and not worth purchasing. Also, avoid pork chops that have water added.
To make stuffed pork chops, select chops that are at least 1-1/2 inches thick. Make a horizontal slit on the fat side of the pork chop about three inches long. The inside pocket should be even longer. Fill the pocket with a stuffing made with dried fruit and toasted almonds and secure with toothpicks.
To make the stuffing, combine chopped dried apricots and raisins, toasted almonds, cubed bread, minced shallots, warm butter to moisten, garlic, sage, thyme and celery.
Make smaller incisions and stuff with dried apricots or prunes.
The best herbs to cook pork chops with are sweet marjoram, thyme, sage, chives, basil, rosemary and cilantro. Also try hot chilies and citrus fruit.
Pork chops that are going to be oven roasted need to be about two inches thick. Anything thinner should be pan roasted. They should be browned on the stovetop and placed in a 375-degree oven for 30 minutes in the same saute pan they were browned in.
When roasting a pork loin, place a chopped onion in the pan beneath the broiler. This allows the roast to baste the onion with juices and fat, caramelizing the onions as the roast cooks. When the roast is finished cooking, drain away the fat from the pan and deglaze with a stock or wine. This will free the cooked onions and sticky bits from the pan. Reduce the mixture by 60 percent, season and serve with the roast.
The best method for cooking pork chops is to saute them. If done correctly, the pork chops have the least chance of becoming tough. First brown the chops over a high heat for one minute per side. Cover and turn down the heat to cook the chops slowly for 10 minutes. Flip the chops only once. Listen to the pork chops. If they are loud and sputtering, turn the heat down. If they are hardly making any sound at all, turn the heat up. Larger pork chops should always be finished in the oven.
Press on chops to tell if they are done. A perfectly cooked pork chop should feel firm, but not hard. Another indicator is that the juices will begin to appear on top of the chops and then spill over into the pan. Remove immediately from heat.

Guests
Andrew Zimmern
Professional Chef and Culinary Expert, Food Works Inc.
1116 Raymond Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
Phone: 651-335-7456
E-mail: chefaz@visi.com
Also in this Episode

TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-421
•	Preparing Pork Chops
•	Mulching
•	Uses for Talcum Powder
•	Tip of the Day

At Home

Preparing Pork Chops

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At Home

Preparing Pork Chops

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