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Sous Vide Boneless Thick-Cut Pork Chops with Red Pepper and Almond Relish for Two

By Steve Dunn

Published on February 1, 2021

Time

2½ to 3½ hours

Yield

Serves 2

Sous Vide Boneless Thick-Cut Pork Chops with Red Pepper and Almond Relish for Two

Ingredients

Pork Chops

2 boneless center-cut pork chop, about 1½ inches thick, trimmed½ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Red Pepper and Almond Relish

¼ cup finely chopped jarred roasted red peppers 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted and chopped coarse1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley 1½ teaspoons white wine vinegar ½ teaspoon minced fresh oregano ⅛ teaspoon salt

Before You Begin

Buy chops of similar thickness so that they cook at the same rate. If desired, you can sous vide the chops ahead of time; chill them in an ice bath after step 2, and then refrigerate them in their zipper-lock bag for up to three days. To reheat, return the sealed bag to a water bath set to 140°F/60°C for 30 minutes, and then proceed with step 3.

Instructions

    for the pork chops

  1. Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 140°F/60°C in 7-quart container.
  2. Sprinkle chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange chops in single layer in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Add 2 tablespoons oil and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until chops are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 2 hours or up to 3 hours.
  3. for the red pepper and almond relish

  4. Meanwhile, combine all ingredients in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
  5. Transfer chops to paper towel–lined plate and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Pat chops dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place chops in skillet and cook until well browned on first side, 1 to 2 minutes, lifting halfway through cooking to redistribute fat underneath each chop. Flip chops and continue to cook until well browned on second side, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Serve, passing relish separately.
Sous Vide Boneless Thick-Cut Pork Chops with Red Pepper and Almond Relish for Two
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Sous Vide Boneless Thick-Cut Pork Chops with Red Pepper and Almond Relish for Two

Save

Time

2½ to 3½ hours

Yield

Serves 2

Ingredients

Pork Chops

2 boneless center-cut pork chop, about 1½ inches thick, trimmed
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Red Pepper and Almond Relish

¼ cup finely chopped jarred roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted and chopped coarse
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon minced fresh oregano
⅛ teaspoon salt

Ingredients

Pork Chops

2 boneless center-cut pork chop, about 1½ inches thick, trimmed
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Red Pepper and Almond Relish

¼ cup finely chopped jarred roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted and chopped coarse
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon minced fresh oregano
⅛ teaspoon salt

Ingredients

Pork Chops

2 boneless center-cut pork chop, about 1½ inches thick, trimmed
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Red Pepper and Almond Relish

¼ cup finely chopped jarred roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted and chopped coarse
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon minced fresh oregano
⅛ teaspoon salt

Why This Recipe Works

Sous vide pork chops are guaranteed to be uniformly juicy and tender. The temperature-controlled water bath gradually raised the meat to its 140-degree target, maximizing collagen breakdown and minimizing moisture loss. Sealing thick chops in a zipper-lock freezer bag and submerging them in 140-degree water for 2 to 3 hours (the meat was cooked through by the 2-hour mark but could sit for up to an hour longer with no ill effect) produced consistently perfect results with practically zero hands-on work. Thoroughly drying the surface of the cooked chops and briefly searing them produced a flavorful brown crust; serving them with a stir-together roasted red pepper–almond relish made them company-worthy.

Before You Begin

Buy chops of similar thickness so that they cook at the same rate. If desired, you can sous vide the chops ahead of time; chill them in an ice bath after step 2, and then refrigerate them in their zipper-lock bag for up to three days. To reheat, return the sealed bag to a water bath set to 140°F/60°C for 30 minutes, and then proceed with step 3.

Instructions

    for the pork chops

  1. Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 140°F/60°C in 7-quart container.
  2. Sprinkle chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange chops in single layer in 1-gallon zipper-lock freezer bag. Add 2 tablespoons oil and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Gently lower bag into prepared water bath until chops are fully submerged, and then clip top corner of bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag. Cover and cook for at least 2 hours or up to 3 hours.
  3. for the red pepper and almond relish

  4. Meanwhile, combine all ingredients in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
  5. Transfer chops to paper towel–lined plate and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Pat chops dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place chops in skillet and cook until well browned on first side, 1 to 2 minutes, lifting halfway through cooking to redistribute fat underneath each chop. Flip chops and continue to cook until well browned on second side, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Serve, passing relish separately.

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