Lauren Ready’s Pork Loin with Blueberry Jalapeno Sauce
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If we lived in a more progressive country, Lauren Ready would be my sister-in-law. Alas, we don’t and given that Lauren lives in the great state of Texas, where hell will freeze over before that happens, we never will have those comforting titles to attach to each other. Instead, Lauren will remain Andrew’s sister, a phenomenal cook, a great friend of mine and an inveterate reader of Chewing the Fat. And now she’s a contributor as well. Lauren sent me this recipe for a great weeknight dish that’s really worth making.
It is, however, another one of those dishes whose picture leaves a lot to be desired. The key to the whole recipe is the Blueberry Jalapeno Sauce which, unfortunately for photography, tends to ‘swallow’ every bit of light and you’re left with, as you can see, some very dark images of meat. However, it is a phenomenal sauce—a fascinating combination of the sweet and the slightly spicy, the perfect thing to pour over Pork Loin. I’ll confess, I know there are people who cook pork loin constantly but I am not one of them. I love the tenderness but I also like a little more fat and prefer chops and roasts. However, this recipe will certainly encourage me to use Pork Loin more. And I hope it will encourage you to cook it. Because I think Lauren’s on to something awfully good here.
Recipe for Pork Loin with Blueberry Jalapeno Sauce:
Serves 4.
2 1-lb pork loins, cut into slices ¾ to 1 inch thick
For the Sauce:
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. water or lemon juice
1-Saute shallots and jalapeno in oil in a saucepan over medium high heat until soft, about 2 minutes. Add blueberries, vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon, garlic powder and salt; simmer until sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes.
2-Transfer mixture to a blender; pulse until pureed. Return sauce to pan over medium heat. Stir in water or lemon juice; simmer sauce 1-2 minutes stirring often. Take pan from heat.
3-Season pork with salt and pepper. Put oil in frying pan to cover bottom. Heat to medium high. Brown tenderloin pieces on both sides. Lower heat to medium*. Brush sauce on pork. Turn over and brush on other side. Cook until desired cooked to taste. Serve with sauce on the side.
*Because if the sugar content in the sauce, go easy on the stove temperature because the sauce will burn if you do not.
Lauren also included this note—and one of those home made cures I’d never heard of before…read on:
“You probably know this already but just in case I will admit what I did. I thought I remembered that after cutting a jalepeno it was very important to wash your hands which I did. A few minutes later my hands started burning badly. I washed them again. The burning was getting worse. I have tiny little cuts all over my fingers for some odd reason. Just washing my hands was not enough. I should have worn gloves. Caitlyn (ED NOTE: Lauren’s daughter, Caitlyn Pepe) told me once my hands started burning I should have lathered them in sour cream. I wish I had known that because my hands burned for 18 hours.”
This Calif. girl is Texas born and raised – this one screamed out to me! I will try it within a couple of days and am so happy right now! (doing my boot scooting boogey!) Thanks!
Ok, so now it is Friday, and a want to make this again! I made it yesterday and it really is a great combo of the sweet and spicy. The flavor complements and balances the pork ( I used loin chops as I love the fat) and I was thinking, as I was enjoying, I would also try this on a thick Swordfish steak. My weekend looks bright – I thank you! C:
Did you know that New York State is the second largest apple producer in the whole country? Only Washington State tops us. Trust a resourceful friend of ours, Wendy Brovetto, native New Yorker and grandchild of an Upstate New York Farm family, to create truly incredible Rustic Apple Jams in 4 extraordinary flavors. When she did, Croton Trading Co. was born.
Wendy explains ”We created our apple jam after one of those overzealous days of apple picking yielded a larger-than-usual haul. With more apples than any family could consume, the experimenting began and gave way to what we think is the perfect blend of apples and cinnamon.”
“We source our apples from local NY Orchards -- Thompson's Orchard in Westchester Co andl Richters Orchard on Long Island. I have a special fondness for these family-owned farms. Richters Orchard was a big part of my childhood, as my sistersand I would go on weekly outings with my dad to stock up on apples and cider"
"We carefully blend different apples to create our flavor profile and find inspiration from seasonal spices to create our Apple Jam”. Wendy proudly states.
Now Croton Trading Company is up to 4 flavors: Fall Harvest Blend, Ginger Pear Fusion, Chai, and Brown Sugar. You can see the whole range here:
Needless to say, we couldn’t wait to put Croton Trading Company’s Apple Jam to work making our Skillet Apple Pork Chops. This one-pot recipe is perfect for weeknights but so good you may want to serve to company. The chops finish cooking in Croton Trading’s Apple Jam and we always serve it on the side to give even more great apple taste to the dish. Here’s the recipe:
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (6-oz.) bone-in pork chops
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
½ cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
1 cup Croton Trading Rustic Apple Jam (we used Ginger Pear)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 small red onion, thinly vertically sliced
Chopped Parsley for garnish.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle pork chops evenly with 3/8 teaspoon salt and 3/8 teaspoon pepper. Add pork chops to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until pork chops beautifully browned. Remove from pan. Set aside pan and drippings.
In a small bowl, combine stock and Croton Trading Apple Jam, stirring with a whisk. Set aside. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan with drippings, swirl. Add remaining 3/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 3/8 teaspoon pepper, sage, rosemary, and onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in stock mixture. Return pork chops to pan; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Plate each chop individually. Top with chopped parsley as a garnish. Serve with plenty of Croton Trading Apple Jam on the side.
I am so excited to be included in your blog. Thanks, Monte. I hope the people who try this like it.
By the way, you are my brother-in-law regardless of the law.
This Calif. girl is Texas born and raised – this one screamed out to me! I will try it within a couple of days and am so happy right now! (doing my boot scooting boogey!) Thanks!
Boogie on Down, California girl! And Lauren, I love you! XOX Monte
Ok, so now it is Friday, and a want to make this again! I made it yesterday and it really is a great combo of the sweet and spicy. The flavor complements and balances the pork ( I used loin chops as I love the fat) and I was thinking, as I was enjoying, I would also try this on a thick Swordfish steak. My weekend looks bright – I thank you! C: