Pick a Side, or Do Both
I know many of my readers are vegetarian or vegan, and others don’t eat pork, but stick with me here! Even though one part of this week’s Berkshire Eagle column involves my favorite brine for pork chops, the other part is a peach-chipotle sauce that is good on so many things. In addition to pork chops, I’ve used it with chicken and duck, and I’m sure it would be good with other things, as well. If you try the sauce with something new, let me know!
HALF & HALF
by Elizabeth Baer
This week’s column is a “twofer,” or, perhaps one could argue, a “threefer,” that is a two-part recipe for which you can follow one part, the other part, or both!
I’ve been eating the traditional pork chops and applesauce since I was a kid, but over time the breeding of pork has changed. I think with the perception of pork as a fatty meat, there was an effort to make it leaner. Some folks will remember the ad campaign slogan, “Pork: the other white meat.” Sadly, though, as a result, I was feeling disappointed with grilled pork chops being too dry and tough. I found my solution in a simple brine that I use whether grilling as described here, or when bad weather forces us to pan-fry pork chops on the stove.
The basic proportions for brine are 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and two cups of liquid, most simply water. I like to use brown sugar, and coffee for half of the liquid, both of which provide added flavor. I always save the trimmings from fennel bulbs in the freezer, so that usually gets tossed in, and a bit of orange peel is nice, too. But the additional flavorings are really up to you!
The sweet and hot combination of the peach-chipotle sauce suits pork chops quite well, and would certainly work nicely on ribs. I’ve also served it on grilled duck breasts, and it would be just as good drizzled over grilled or roasted chicken. You can freeze any sauce you don’t use for another time.
Whether you make just the pork chops or just the sauce to serve with something else, or put it all together, this recipe will allow you to mix and match in many ways!
GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH PEACH-CHIPOTLE SAUCE
Serves 2, with extra sauce
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup coffee
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 pork chops, at least ¾-inch thick
10 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Optional for the brine: fennel seeds or stems and fronds of fennel bulb, orange peel
3 peaches (about 1 pound)
½-2 teaspoons sauce from canned chipotles in adobo
Brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup to taste if necessary
DIRECTIONS:
Place the coffee, preferably hot or warm, into a measuring cup of at least 2 cups, and add the salt and brown sugar. Stir to help the salt and sugar begin to dissolve, then let sit to cool a bit.
Place the pork chops into a zippered plastic bag, and place the bag into a baking dish to catch any leaks. Try to make the pork chops lie flat as much as possible. Add to the bag the peppercorns, bay leaf, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes, and any additional flavorings you are using. (Whenever I cook fennel bulbs, I keep the discarded fronds and stems in the freezer to use in flavoring brine. Fennel seeds work, too, and if you have an orange, some orange peel is also good here.)
Check to see that the salt and sugar have fully dissolved, then add 1 cup cold water. Pour into the bag with the pork chops and zipper shut, pressing out as much air as possible. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least a few hours or all day, turning over once or twice if possible.
Meanwhile, make the peach-chipotle sauce. Set a medium saucepan of water on to boil. Cut a shallow ‘X’ into the bottom of each peach. Place in the boiling water for only 1 minute. Remove immediately to a cutting board and allow to cool for a minute or two. The skin will have loosened, and you should be able to grab a piece of skin from the corner of each cut and pull it off. Cut each peach into small to medium chunks, removing the pit.
Place the pieces into the cup of an immersion blender or a small food processor. Purée to a sauce-like consistency. Add the sauce from canned chipotles in adobo, ½ teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition, until it has reached your desired spiciness. Different brands have different levels of heat, so it is best to taste as you add small amounts. If you need a bit of sweetness for balance, add just a touch of brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Keep in the refrigerator until about an hour before sitting down to eat. Sauce should be room temperature for serving. (This will make more than you need. It also goes well with duck, chicken, or other cuts of pork.)
About 1-2 hours before cooking, remove the pork chops from the brine and discard the liquid. Pat the chops dry, place on paper towel to absorb any moisture and allow to come to room temperature.
Start grill and allow to come to high temperature. Pat the chops dry once again before placing on the grill. Grilling time will vary depending on the thickness of the chops, about 5-8 minutes per side. The internal temperature should read 145°F on an instant-read thermometer. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving with the peach chipotle sauce spooned on top.