
Pan-Seared Pork Chop
Course:
Dinner
Seasonal Event:
Fall
INGREDIENTS:
BRINE:
- 2 bone in 1 lb thick cut pork chops (about 1.5” thick) 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 t kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves (peeled & smashed) 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 t green peppercorns
ACORN SQUASH PURÉE:
- 1 medium acorn squash 1/2 cup olive oil
- 6 oz half & half
- Salt and pepper
PAN SEARED PORK CHOPS:
- Brined pork chops
- 1/4 cup shallots finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 6 oz portobello mushrooms (sliced) 1 cup marsala wine
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 4 t olive oil
- 2 t unsalted butter
- 2 t chopped parsley
SAUTÉED RAINBOW CHARD:
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 4 cups rainbow chard chopped s +p
- 2 t olive oil
- 1/2 chicken stock
DIRECTIONS:
Brine:
- Combine all brine ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil; remove from heat and cool down to room temperature.
- Once brine has cooled, place pork chops in a large plastic bag, and pour brine over pork chops; allow chops to sit in brine overnight in refrigerator.
Acorn Squash Purée:
- Slice acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds; quarter each half.
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place squash meat side up, on a half sheet pan and drizzle with 1/2 cup olive oil; season generously with salt and pepper.
- Bake in oven for about an hour until squash is fork tender and golden brown.
- Bring the half & half to a boil in a small saucepan.
- Scoop squash meat out of skin, and place in food processor and blend, slowly adding hot half & half until desired smooth consistency; season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve warm.
Pan-Seared Pork Chops:
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
- Remove pork chops from brine, and pat dry on both sides with paper towel, allow pork chops to come to room temperature; about 20 30 mins.
- Add 2 t olive oil to medium cast-iron pan and put on medium-high heat.
- Sear pork chops on one side about 3 to 5 mins until a hard sear is formed, flip pork chops and add butter to pan.
- Tilt pan and baste pork chops with spoon until golden brown about 1 minute.
- Place pan in preheated oven and cook until 140 degrees for medium doneness, about 9 to 11 mins; for well done (165 degrees) allow to cook in oven for about 15 to 16 mins.
- Once pork chops are 140 degrees, pull out of oven and allow to rest on cooling rack; resting will allow juices in pork chops to redistribute and continue carryover cooking to perfect 145 medium doneness.
- In same cast iron pan, on medium-high heat, add remaining 2 t olive oil, garlic, shallots, portobellos and pinch salt and pepper.
- Sauté until mushrooms are tender about 3 to 4 mins, add marsala wine and chicken stock to pan, reduce to only 1/3 volume; about 6 to 8 mins.
- Once pan sauce has fully reduced, turn off heat and swirl in butter until thickened sauce consistency is achieved.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in chopped parsley.
Sautéed Rainbow Chard:
- Add olive oil to medium-sized pan and turn to medium-high heat, sauté garlic until lightly fragrant; about 30 seconds.
- Add rainbow chard, pinch s +p to pan and sauté until wilted, about 3 to 4 mins.
- Add chicken stock to pan, and cook until reduced by 1/2, season to taste with salt and pepper.