Maddie's Pork Chops
Printed From: Foods of the World Forum
Category: Food Groups
Forum Name: Meats, Fish and Eggs
Forum Discription: A place to discuss meats, fish, eggs and other non-vegetable protiens in general.
URL: http://foodsoftheworld.ActiveBoards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=1644
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 19:00
Topic: Maddie's Pork Chops
Posted By: Daikon
Subject: Maddie's Pork Chops
Date Posted: 10 January 2012 at 20:14
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For the story behind their name, see here:
http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=1640&PID=10291&title=apple-cinnamon-breakfast-links#10291 - http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=1640&PID=10291&title=apple-cinnamon-breakfast-links#10291
Heat a skillet (or two... or three... enough to fit all of your chops comfortably in a single layer) and add equal amounts of oil and butter sufficient to evenly coat the bottom of the pan -- you're looking to saute your chops in enough oil to produce a good crust, but you don't want a lot of extra fat weighing down your sauce later. Make sure your chops are dry, then add them to the pan(s) when the oil is really hot -- it's a balancing game: if your chops are thin, you want the oil smoking hot so that you can sear them for just a minute or two on each side without cooking them through; if your chops are thicker, then you can use a little lower heat and a little more time while not running as much risk of blackening chops instead of browning them.
Once the chops are browned on both sides, remove them, turn down the heat to medium/medium-high, and de-glaze the pan(s) with white wine. Add to the wine your garlic, a grind or two (or more) of black pepper per chop, and maybe some minced shallot if you've got it. Reduce au sec before adding the orange juice and rosemary and returning the chops to the pan(s). If you're using thick chops and a lot of orange juice, then you can leave the pan(s) uncovered. If you've got thin chops and less juice, then you'd better cover them so that they don't dry out.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then back off to a simmer. Braise the chops until they are done. I don't know how long, it depends on how thick they are. Using a thermometer on chops can be tricky, so you really need to develop the ability to poke them with your finger and tell that way whether they are done. Nice thick chops will probably take 15 or 20 minutes; but as with most braises, they won't be completely dried out and inedible if you let them go a little too long. Turn them over a couple of times as they braise.
When the chops are done, remove them to a platter, then turn up the heat full blast on the remaining braising liquid. Reduce the mostly-orange-juice by more than half until it thickens and turns medium-brown as it begins to caramelize. Turn off the heat (or at least turn it way down low, but be careful that you don't burn your sauce at this point, since there is not much water left in it and it is very hot...), add some thyme, and return the chops and accumulated juices to the pan(s) to rewarm them and coat them in the glaze. Salt to taste.
Serve the chops with an extra spoonful of the reduction sauce (strain it if you want to get fancy; and add a little white wine if it has gotten too thick.) Garnish with a little sprig of fresh rosemary and some orange zest (a nice curl or two, if your bartending skills are up to it.)
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Replies:
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 10 January 2012 at 21:44
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very nice - great flavour profiles and it looks flexible enough for just about any situation. this is on my list for sure! many thanks for posting, daikon - i'll try to do it justice. ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: Hoser
Date Posted: 11 January 2012 at 04:40
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This one is on my short list to do...sounds wonderful. Thanks for posting Daikon. ------------- Go ahead...play with your food! |
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 10 February 2012 at 10:13
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Daikon, regarding "reduce au sec,"does it mean to reduce until it is about half as much as it was; or does it go farther? i've seen it defined as anywhere from half to almost dry; judging by the name, i am guessing that it goes farther than half, but am not sure. ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: Daikon
Date Posted: 10 February 2012 at 11:10
| Reduce au sec means to reduce until almost dry -- i.e., until there are only a couple of tablespoons left at most. Reducing au sec means something quite different from reducing by half (or some other proportion) or reducing until nappe (sufficiently thick to coat, as in the back of a spoon.) |
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 10 February 2012 at 11:17
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gotcha - thanks.
i'm going to see if i can get the moon, stars and planets lined up to give this a go tonight or this weekend. i've got two 12-inch cast-iron skillets, and that should be good for three pork chops each. ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: Daikon
Date Posted: 10 February 2012 at 11:26
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If your skillets are well seasoned (and I believe that they are now after all of your recent efforts), then I think you should be okay even with the fairly acidic orange juice. I can't remember actually doing these chops in my cast iron though, since I've either typically been doing them for lots or for one or two, in which case my bigger and smaller stainless steel pans have been more appropriate. It will be a little trickier judging the color change of the sauce in a black skillet, but it still should still be an evident change. Good luck, but it's really not a difficult recipe.
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Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 10 February 2012 at 11:31
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thanks ~ i'll do my best - i've been looking forward to trying this.
i do have a wide, fairly-heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet (maybe 11 inches), and i could sear them in batches, but i'm not sure what to do with the braising step. i guess i could put all six in it together for that? ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: Daikon
Date Posted: 10 February 2012 at 11:39
| You could, but you'd have to use a greater depth of juice (which will significantly increase your reduction time) and you'd have to tend the chops a little more carefully during the braise -- rotating them top to bottom, since they won't now fit in a single layer. I'd stick with the cast iron skillets, since you'll be wanting to get to eating as soon after the braise as you can instead of waiting around for the reduction. |
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 10 February 2012 at 11:45
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sounds like a plan - will let you know how it goes. ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 12 February 2012 at 19:49
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daikon - i was able to make these tonight as an early anniversary dinner for the beautiful mrs. tas - and they are as good or even better than advertised. wonderful flavour priofiles and easy to make! took some pix, will post as soon as i can and let you know. many thanks for sharing the recipe and your guidance in preparation - this recipe is a very fine tribute to your niece!
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Posted By: Daikon
Date Posted: 12 February 2012 at 20:22
| Glad you liked them! |
Posted By: Daikon
Date Posted: 26 February 2012 at 16:25
I don't think they exist!
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TasunkaWitko wrote:Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 27 February 2012 at 16:00
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ok, fasten your seatbelts ~ pictures are formatted and ready to fo, so it looks like this one will get posted tonight!
i'll make a new post in the " http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/forum_topics.asp?FID=21&title=the-midwest-and-great-plains - Midwest/Great Plains " forum under the heading, Making Maddie's Pork Chops; we'll see how i did in interpreting this dish. once i get it posted (the timing depends on my youngest son's wrestling practice and the beautiful mrs. tas's facebook farming), i'll post a link as a reply here.... ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 27 February 2012 at 22:46
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finally, here it is! http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=1779&title=making-maddies-pork-chops - http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=1779&title=making-maddies-pork-chops ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: Daikon
Date Posted: 28 February 2012 at 00:58
I never really doubted you.  And I'm happy that you did so well and enjoyed them so much!
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Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 28 February 2012 at 07:15
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these were a true pleasure - highly recommended! thanks for sharing, and looking forwar to seeing your version, with plating etc.! ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |