Pork Chop Inspiration

Keane2baMused

As the title says I need some inspiration for pork chops!

I have so many of them in the freezer I don't know what to do with! Most often I marinade them in sesame oil, soya sauce, some dark brown sugar, garlic, chilli and ginger and cook them in this also which turns out lovely. Other than that I find them a bit boring.

Thanks in advance

Keane

Alun

Cook chops in a (preferably not non-stick) pan first, remove to a plate. Deglaze with some cider (or wine), add a dollop of whole grain mustard and some cream or creme fraiche and cook for a few minutes. Put chops and any accumulated juices back into the pan, season and reheat for a minute or so and serve. You could a few thyme leaves as well if you like.

surball

I love to make a pork katsu curry. Flatten out the chop and pound it down a bit. Dip in salted flour, then egg, the panko breadcrumbs. Fry it in a shallow amount of vegetable oil. Serve with sticky rice and curry sauce.

Another style to try for Japanese cooking is to prepare the meat as above and then to serve it with Bulldog sauce (in Asian market) and some English mustard. Shredded white cabbage is usually served on the side for this. Delicious

rubadub

surball wrote: »

Flatten out the chop and pound it down a bit. Dip in salted flour, then egg, the panko breadcrumbs.

I do similar but with pork steaks. You cut it to form flat steaks as shown here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eCpL6cj7Rw

2xj3hplqgsbkym

I love the chicken and chorizo rice bake from the cooking club forum made with pork instead of chicken, just cut the chops into cubes

StripedBoxers

I use them in wraps.

Cut it into strips or cubes, rub a dry or wet mix over it, bake in the oven for 10 mins then put it into the wrap.

Usually I have raw baby spinach, cucumber, red onion, sometimes cheese, bit of mayo, sometimes I'll have salsa etc.

Simple, delicious, tasty and filing.

Sometimes I'll make a creamy pasta with chops (again, strips or cubes) which is lovely.

Minder

Toast some fennel seeds and coriander seeds in a dry pan. Grind in a pestle and mortar with garlic and a little oil to make a paste. Get it on the chops and grill as usual. Great with pasta dishes.

Dinkie

surball wrote: »

I love to make a pork katsu curry. Flatten out the chop and pound it down a bit. Dip in salted flour, then egg, the panko breadcrumbs. Fry it in a shallow amount of vegetable oil.

i do this, except I then treat the pork chops like chicken wings and serve it with franks hot sauce drizzled on top.

SB_Part2

I fry mine in a pan with olive oil, lemon and rosemary and add some chickpeas in at the end. Servedwith a salad of red onion and spinach.

Moody_mona

I love drunk pork from the cooking club.

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057283129/1/#post92042615

SB_Part2

Moody_mona wrote: »

I love drunk pork from the cooking club.

+1 to this. I've made it a few times before and it's gorgeous. I'd completely forgotten about it. Must make it again soon.

Jellybaby1

Glad to see this thread. Often wanted to pep up pork chops, they can be so bland. But lately I have been browning the chops on a pan, pop them into a foil tent and bake for around 40 mins depending on thickness. Sometimes I just drizzle them with sweet chilli sauce. I also wish supermarkets/butchers would sell thicker pork chops. I often have to ask them to cut them specially for me.

Dizzyblonde

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Glad to see this thread. Often wanted to pep up pork chops, they can be so bland. But lately I have been browning the chops on a pan, pop them into a foil tent and bake for around 40 mins depending on thickness. Sometimes I just drizzle them with sweet chilli sauce. I also wish supermarkets/butchers would sell thicker pork chops. I often have to ask them to cut them specially for me.

I do them in the oven like that too, but I gently fry sliced onions and add them and a bit of chicken stock before putting them in the oven.

Sometimes I buy a loin of pork and cut chops to the thickness I want.

the beer revolu

Growing up we often had pork chops breaded, browned in a pan and then gently cooked in the oven. They come out a lovely texture.

Dubl07

Grill on one side, turn, spread with English mustard and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Finish the cooking under a medium heat.

Keane2baMused

Yum, brilliant ideas here thanks everyone

LaChatteGitane

I've posted this pic here before, way back when.
They are pork chops (from our own free range pigs :pac: ) and I often make them like this :
Mix a same amount of mustard and mangochutney with some chopped up sage leaves (or dried). Spread all over the chops. You can marinate them for a few hours but I am not that well organised to think of this long enough beforehand.
Brown the chops on both sides and pour in some chicken stock (I use cube and water). Cover with lid and turn the heat way down. Or let them simmer in the oven until ready. If the stock runs dry, just add a little extra water.
The chops and the gravy are just an explosion of flavour.

Jellybaby1

Omigosh I wish I could buy chops that size! Droooolll!

Loire

Really good ideas in this thread. Have stayed away from pork for years, esp chops and they are soo bland, dry & boring. But these ideas are great - well defo put them on the shopping list now!

The Hill Billy

Try a Düsseldorfer Schweinssteak...

Put the chop between two pieces of cling film & beat gently with a rolling pin until around 6-8mm thick. Fry gently on both sides. To serve, cover with a layer of Dijon mustard (even better if you can get German Senf in Lidl or Aldi) on top. Then a layer of caramelised onions on top of that, & creamy mashed spuds on the side.

the beer revolu

To all that find pork chops bland and dry, you are either:
A. Buying poor quality pork. And/or
B. Overcooking it/cooking it wrong.

I don't know of any supermarket that sells good pork apart from M&S who sell good British outdoor reared pork.
Some butchers source decent pork. I know O Mahony's, English Market, Cork do - there must be others.

A loin chop or leg of pork will be very dry if overcooked. I like my chops slightly pink. I realise that's a step too far for many but, please, don't cook the bejaysus out of these lean cuts. A good hot sear and then gently finishing in a moderate oven works best for me.

Fattier cuts like shoulder, belly and hock will take long, slow cooking without drying out.

The flavour from really good pork is amazing with just a bit of salt and pepper.

Jellybaby1

the beer revolu wrote: »

To all that find pork chops bland and dry, you are either:
A. Buying poor quality pork. And/or
B. Overcooking it/cooking it wrong.

I don't know of any supermarket that sells good pork apart from M&S who sell good British outdoor reared pork.
Some butchers source decent pork. I know O Mahony's, English Market, Cork do - there must be others.

A loin chop or leg of pork will be very dry if overcooked. I like my chops slightly pink. I realise that's a step too far for many but, please, don't cook the bejaysus out of these lean cuts. A good hot sear and then gently finishing in a moderate oven works best for me.

Fattier cuts like shoulder, belly and hock will take long, slow cooking without drying out.

The flavour from really good pork is amazing with just a bit of salt and pepper.

Well although this sounds like I've just had my knuckles rapped I agree with you. The meat I buy in Dunnes, Tesco and shopping centre butchers is absolutely dire, the chops are so thin that it is all too easy to overcook them. I live in a Dublin suburb on a suburban housing estate - it's awful hard to find the best quality round these parts. I questioned the butcher about the thinness of chops and rashers and he said 'that's what the customers want, so that's what they send us, we don't cut the meat here'. I did say that this particular customer does not want skinny chops. Another butcher told me that the guys behind the counters now are merely retail assistants and wouldn't know how to butcher a carcass. That is what we are having to deal with. Pity I don't live in Cork.

Not G.R

Jellybaby1;98986364"]Well although this sounds like I've just had my knuckles rapped I agree with you. The meat I buy in Dunnes, Tesco and shopping centre butchers is absolutely dire, the chops are so thin that it is all too easy to overcook them. I live in a Dublin suburb on a suburban housing estate - it's awful hard to find the best quality round these parts. I questioned the butcher about the thinness of chops and rashers and he said 'that's what the customers want, so that's what they send us, we don't cut the meat here'. I did say that this particular customer does not want skinny chops. Another butcher told me that the guys behind the counters now are merely retail assistants and wouldn't know how to butcher a carcass. That is what we are having to deal with. Pity I don't live in Cork.

You're not looking hard enough. There are about 5 great butchers on Wexford/Camden/Auinger st, Fx Buckleys, Fallon and Byrne have an excellent butchers counter and really knowledgable butchers, The Village Butcher in Relanagh, Brady's on Dorset st, Fenlon's in Stilorgan is amazing. They supply a few high end restaurants around Dublin. Then you have farmers markets. There's a rare breed pig farmer at the honest to goodness market in Finglas that have some of the nicest pork produce I've ever had.

I'm sure there's more that I don't know that are equally as good. If you ever ask a butcher for an unusual cut or an extra thick cut of something and they don't have it, won't cut it from a carcass in the back or order it for you smile and walk out. Most importantly though: things are never bad enough to wish yourself from Cork! :pac:

Jellybaby1

Oh I stopped looking years ago simply because of the distance to those butchers and others when I added up the time it takes to drive there, park the car, pay for parking, buy the meat and return home it really is a lot to ask, particularly when I am already driving to three supermarkets every Saturday morning to get the bargains. I know the good quality is around, its just not around me.

spaceylou

Probably not the most exciting way to brighten up Pork Chops but if stuck for time or dealing with a glut of apples, place the chops in oven dish, smear a bit of wholegrain or dijion mustard on them, and place thinly sliced apple over and around the chops. Pop in the oven to cook while sorting out some veg and spuds.

I find the apple stops them from drying out in the oven.

Alternatively as someone else suggested above, cut them up and use in a stir-fry with ginger and soy sauce.