Usually, I soft-pedal the whole issue of heat in the recipes I share with you. That’s because I think a lot of people are uneasy about any food that’s described as spicy. I do get it. What’s the pleasure in having your mouth feel like it’s on fire? Or breaking out in a cold sweat after a bite or two? Usually when I do share a spicier dish, I tell you that cutting back on Cayenne or eliminating the seeds in Jalapenos will yield a kinder, gentler dish. But today, I am not going to do that. This version of plain old Pork Chops gets its character from a really great combination of spicy-hot ingredients. And let’s face it, pork chops can use the help.
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Fine Cooking’s Version was too beige for me |
I’ve never met a piece of pork I don’t like so it’s hardly that I am not a fan of the Pork Chop. But ‘the other white meat’ tends to be very bland and can dry out in a matter of minutes. Brining can help make a juicier pork chop. But avoid anything labelled ‘extra juicy’. These chops have been given additives that turn rubbery fast. Instead, choose all-natural pork chops. The Frenched Pork chops from Trader Joe’s are what we used here and they were terrific. This recipe is a quick braise which gives the meat plenty of moist goodness. It’s very fast cooking too and came right out of Fine Cooking’s “Dinners in 30 minutes”. I loved the sound of the original dish but I didn’t love the look. It was all beige all the time. So I added some roasted red peppers to perk the whole thing up. Served with some spinach and a smashed potato, it looked a whole lot better than its inspiration. Here’s the recipe:
Recipe for Spicy Pork Chops with Green Chiles, Roasted Red Peppers and Onions
Start with this spice rub |
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. pure ancho chile powder or chili powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 center-cut boneless pork chops, preferably about 1 inch thick (about 1-1/2 lb. total)
3/4 cup lower-salt chicken broth; more as needed
1 4-oz. can chopped green chiles
1/2 roasted red pepper in strips
1 tsp. pure ancho chile powder or chili powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 center-cut boneless pork chops, preferably about 1 inch thick (about 1-1/2 lb. total)
3/4 cup lower-salt chicken broth; more as needed
1 4-oz. can chopped green chiles
1/2 roasted red pepper in strips
3 Tbs. chopped jarred jalapeños (from about 12 slices)
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
In a small bowl, combine the cumin, chile powder, 1-1/4 tsp. salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper. Sprinkle on both sides of the pork and set aside.
In a blender or food processor, purée the chicken broth, green chiles (with their liquid), jalapeños, and vinegar until smooth.
Put the flour in a pie plate and dredge the pork chops, shaking to remove any excess. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Pour in 2 Tbs. of the oil and heat until shimmering hot, about 1 minute. Add the pork chops and cook, without moving, until they’re brown around the edges and release easily from the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, flip, and cook the other side until browned, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large plate.
Return the chops to the pan, nestling them into the onions. Cover and simmer gently until the pork is fairly firm to the touch with just a little give, 3 to 5 minutes. With a paring knife, make a nick in a thicker chop to make sure it’s only just a little pink.
Serve the pork chops topped with the sauce.