Pan-Seared, Oven-Roasted Thick-Cut Pork Chops with Spicy Citrus Pan Sauce
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 19, 2011
Time
1¼ hours, plus 1 hour brining
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Pork Chops
¾ cup dark brown sugar (lightly packed)½ cup kosher salt (or ¼ cup table salt)10 medium cloves garlic, crushed4 bay leaves, crumbled8 whole cloves 3 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, crushed4 bone-in rib loin pork chops (12-ounces each), 1 ½-inches-thick2 tablespoons vegetable oilSauce
½ cup molasses ¼ cup lime juice 1 ½ teaspoons grated lime zest from 2 limes1 cup orange juice from 2 large oranges2 medium cloves garlic, chopped4 chipotle chiles en adobo 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 2 piecesSalt and ground black pepperBefore You Begin
You may opt to use only water, sugar, and salt in the brine and omit the other flavorings if you feel the sauce provides enough flavor. If the chops aren’t being cooked immediately after brining, simply wipe off the excess brine, place the them on a wire rack set on top of a rimmed sheet pan, and keep them in the refrigerator, uncovered, to air dry for up to 3 hours. Have all the sauce ingredients ready before browning the chops, and begin the sauce while the chops are in the oven.
Instructions
- For Pork: In gallon-sized zipper-lock plastic bag, dissolve sugar and salt in 2 cups hot water. Add garlic, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, (if using) and 4 cups cold water; cool mixture to room temperature. Add pork chops, then seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible; refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 1 hour, turning bag once. Remove chops from brine and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place shallow roasting pan or jelly-roll pan on oven rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. When oven reaches 450 degrees, heat oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Place chops in skillet; cook until well-browned and nice crust has formed on surface, about 2 minutes. Turn chops over with tongs; cook until well-browned and a nice crust has formed on second side, about 2 minutes longer. Using tongs, transfer chops to preheated pan in oven. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each chop registers 125–127 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes, turning chops over once halfway through cooking time. Transfer each chop to platter; cover loosely with foil (be sure not to wrap foil tightly around meat), and let rest about 5 minutes. (Check internal temperature; it should register about 145 degrees).
- For Sauce: In bowl of food processor, puree molasses, lime juice and zest, orange juice, garlic, and chipotle chiles until smooth. Transfer to small bowl; set aside.
- Pour off fat from skillet used to brown chops; place skillet over medium-high heat and add molasses mixture, scraping pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Simmer until thickened and syrupy, about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter, one piece at a time; season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with pork chops.
Time
1¼ hours, plus 1 hour briningYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Pork Chops
Sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Pork Chops
Sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Pork Chops
Sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We knew our pork chop recipe would have to take into consideration today’s leaner pork and employ a cooking method that would maximize flavor while preserving moisture. So we brined the pork in a concentrated solution of water, sugar, and salt for a short time, improving the flavor and gaining a desirable degree of caramelization during pan-searing. Then we cooked the chops to a fairly low temperature—125 degrees—and allowed them to finish cooking off heat, covered with aluminum foil, while they rested to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
Before You Begin
You may opt to use only water, sugar, and salt in the brine and omit the other flavorings if you feel the sauce provides enough flavor. If the chops aren’t being cooked immediately after brining, simply wipe off the excess brine, place the them on a wire rack set on top of a rimmed sheet pan, and keep them in the refrigerator, uncovered, to air dry for up to 3 hours. Have all the sauce ingredients ready before browning the chops, and begin the sauce while the chops are in the oven.
Instructions
- For Pork: In gallon-sized zipper-lock plastic bag, dissolve sugar and salt in 2 cups hot water. Add garlic, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, (if using) and 4 cups cold water; cool mixture to room temperature. Add pork chops, then seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible; refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 1 hour, turning bag once. Remove chops from brine and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place shallow roasting pan or jelly-roll pan on oven rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. When oven reaches 450 degrees, heat oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Place chops in skillet; cook until well-browned and nice crust has formed on surface, about 2 minutes. Turn chops over with tongs; cook until well-browned and a nice crust has formed on second side, about 2 minutes longer. Using tongs, transfer chops to preheated pan in oven. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each chop registers 125–127 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes, turning chops over once halfway through cooking time. Transfer each chop to platter; cover loosely with foil (be sure not to wrap foil tightly around meat), and let rest about 5 minutes. (Check internal temperature; it should register about 145 degrees).
- For Sauce: In bowl of food processor, puree molasses, lime juice and zest, orange juice, garlic, and chipotle chiles until smooth. Transfer to small bowl; set aside.
- Pour off fat from skillet used to brown chops; place skillet over medium-high heat and add molasses mixture, scraping pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Simmer until thickened and syrupy, about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter, one piece at a time; season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with pork chops.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
0 Comments