In the past we've written about brining pork chops, which is a great way to prepare chops for the grill or frying pan. Here's a few more ideas on how to enjoy JSF pasture-raised pork chops in concert with sweet fall root veggies and apples.
Pork Chops in a Pan
Ingredients:
- black pepper and herbs of your choice (sage is my favorite to pair with pork)
- garlic chopped fine
- onions chopped coarse
- root vegetables of your choice, chopped in chunks (we like carrots and parsnips)
- tart apple (like McIntosh or Cortland), chopped
Heat a cast iron skillet or similar type pan over medium heat. Rub the chops with pepper, herbs and garlic. Once pan is hot, place chops in pan and brown on each side for a few minutes. Add chopped onions to saute in the pork fat. Once onions are about half done turn heat to medium/low and add a very small amount of water, broth, or cider to the pan, the quickly throw in the chopped root veggies and apple and cover. Allow to cook covered on medium/low heat about 5 minutes. Stir once and flip the chops over and recover to cook another 3 to 5 minutes, until veggies are just barely soft and chops are cooked through.
Braised Pork Chops
Pork blade chops and rib chops are best suited for this braising recipe. Brown the chops as in the recipe above, then put them in a roasting pan with chopped onions, roots veggies, and apples. Add cider or broth to pan until liquid is about half way up the chops. Cover pan with foil and put it in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Chops are done when the meat falls off the bone. This recipe works for a pork roast as well, just allow for a longer cooking time. Serve with mashed potatoes or roasted fingerling potatoes. Yum!