Tender, Juicy Pork Chops

[Jet Gorgon]

Hi, Chefs. What's your best way to fry, bake, or broil chops so they are tender and moist? Sometimes, they turn out like cheap shoe leather. Slow and low, or burn and simmer? Just want to ensure all the worms are cooked and killed.

Would appreciate your hints, recipes and marinades...

[OM3N]

One of me and the GFs favorite meals is a proper pork chop and a salad. Make sure to get the good quality pork chops from like a villa or gourmet market etc. (the ones with long bone attached to the meat at the end). Dust with salt and pepper, and a generous helping of rosemary before cooking. Fire up a HOT frying pan and sear until browned on each side, then dust with paprika. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until fully cooked. Throw a little more rosemary on, and you should have some pleasantly colored, delicious pork chops

[tutsiwarrior]

go down the super an' have a look thru the selection of Lobo brand seasoning/marinade packets...there may not be one specifically for pork chops but there may be one that is suitable for yer purposes...there are instructions in english on de back. I was quite impressed widde oriental braised beef seasoning fer de goulash that I just made...not exactly what I would've wanted but it did the trick...a nice sauce, quick an' cheap...

[LtLOS]

First, try and find some center cut chops that still have a nice layer of fat on the outside, fat is the key to flavor in all meats, and here it seems they prefer to trim all the fat off. Second the key to tender chicken and pork is brining. Brining is a way to tenderize these cuts and helps retain moisture. In a large bowl place about 2-3 tablespoons of sea salt, or if your using table salt, less, perhaps about 1-2 tablespoons, and also add about 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Add some cold water and stir till salt and sugar dissolve. Place meat in the bowl and cover with more water. Cover with plastic and pop in the fridge for at least 2 hours, best overnight. If your using table or iodized salt probably about 2 hours, but any less won't have a lot of effect. When ready to cook, take out of the brine and rinse under cold water. For chicken, especially with skin, such as breasts, I place on a drain tray in the fridge uncovered to let the meat dry, for chops just take a towel or paper and dry off. Season as you like, then you can sear these for about 2-3 minutes a side to form a crust, then place in oven 350°f for about 10-15 minutes, not much longer. Or if you have a grill place on direct for same time high heat to seal outside, then put indirect for about 10 minutes.

Note brining does not work for beef, best for seafood, but much shorter time, and chicken and pork. People tend to overcook both chicken and pork, if your not used to how long, use a thermometer and check internal temp, rather than going by time at first.

Rod

[Patsycat]

I hate it when pork chops end up tasting like shoe leather!!

Here's one of mine:

Fry the seasoned chops in hot oil to seal them and brown them.

Put in a dish with a can of tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, peppers, and/or any other veggies.

Cover in foil and bake in medium oven for about 30 minutes or until all veg are cooked and chops feel soft when poked with a knife.

you could then sprinkle some grated cheese or mozzarella over the dish and grill until brown and bubbly. Serve with rice.

I find this makes the meat really tender. In fact the longer you bake it the tenderer (sorry, is that a word?!) the meat is.

[Jet Gorgon]

Thanks, Y'all! I'm going to try each of these methods. My mom used to make tender chops. She sprinkled them with brown sugar, dry mustard, S&P, and cooked in an electric frypan. After a bit, she'd add water and let them simmer. Then she'd make milk gravy to pour over creamy whipped potatoes and the chops. Steamed broccoli with cheese and crusty rolls with slabs of fresh butter. Heart attack on a plate, but it was so good.

[johnh101]

Soy Sauce, loads of garlic and crushed black pepper. Mix it all together and roughly rub it into the meat, leave in the fridge overnight and throw them on the barbie...................aroy mak mak.

[Lickey]

Here in Issan we soak pork or beef in milk for 2/3 hours at room temp, then quick/gentle fry, lift with fork, if it gradually slides off, its done, then add any relishishes you want to the pan, pour over meat after a few mins, please try this and let me know if im right or wrong, good luck!!

[cathyy]

The trick to moist pork chops has two parts. First, you need to sear them quickly over high heat to seal in the moisture. Then, it's best to use lower heat and a "moist heat" cooking method, like adding a liquid to the pan and covering. I use Campbell's Mushroom soup, makes a good gravy. I suppose a purist would prefer a mushroom sauce made from a roux with real mushrooms...but for that I need the pork chops already cooked to have the drippings for the roux.

[Jet Gorgon]

The trick to moist pork chops has two parts. First, you need to sear them quickly over high heat to seal in the moisture. Then, it's best to use lower heat and a "moist heat" cooking method, like adding a liquid to the pan and covering. I use Campbell's Mushroom soup, makes a good gravy. I suppose a purist would prefer a mushroom sauce made from a roux with real mushrooms...but for that I need the pork chops already cooked to have the drippings for the roux.

Good one, Cathy. My bro-in-law does that but the lad adds a can of water to it so it's like soup pork instead of gravy.

[thaigerd]

Nice marbled porkchop, salt&black pepper, may be a bit of mustard.

Roll in flour, then in beaten eggs and at the end in a lot of breadcrumbs.

This kind of preparation keeps the moisture inside and very crispy on the outside.

Gerd

[Jet Gorgon]

That looks tres tasty, Gerd. Txs. How hot for the cooking? And any sauce?

[Tony Clifton]

I sometimes buy chops at Tesco but prefer to buy a whole roast and make chops out of it (no bones though), I find the meat more tender than the chops. Choose a roast that`s not too lean, better with some fat.

I marinate for a few hours in coconut milk, spicy sauce bought at Tesco (has lots of sesame seeds, reddish) salt, lotsa pepper, hand full of fried garlic. Mix and drown the meat. I use a sealed plastic container that I shake briskly every now and then.

I sometimes drop the meat in breadcrumbs. Fry in a pan with a bit of veg. oil.

Uncooked leftover meat tastes even better the next day after marinating in the fridge for 24 hours.

[thaigerd]

That looks tres tasty, Gerd. Txs. How hot for the cooking? And any sauce?

Heat up some oil with a bit of butter(don't be tight with oil) temperature about 160*.

Sauce what ever u like.

Gerd

[cathyy]

Good one, Cathy. My bro-in-law does that but the lad adds a can of water to it so it's like soup pork instead of gravy.

You have to add some water or milk. Otherwise you get a big lump of mushroom soup in the pan, not a sauce at all ! I try to limit it to half a can at most.

[Jet Gorgon]

Good one, Cathy. My bro-in-law does that but the lad adds a can of water to it so it's like soup pork instead of gravy.

You have to add some water or milk. Otherwise you get a big lump of mushroom soup in the pan, not a sauce at all ! I try to limit it to half a can at most.

True! Sorry, didn't quantify that I would add water but not a full can. I want to try Gerd's recipe too.

I love this forum; the recipes are heavenly.

[Jet Gorgon]

double message!

Edited March 3, 2007 by Jet Gorgon

[Pink Mist]

slightly off topic, we had roast pork with roast potatoes and pumpkin, peas and apple sauce last night and it turned out a treat.

The crackling was supurb. will have pork sangas for a coupla days if it survives today that is

[Jet Gorgon]

slightly off topic, we had roast pork with roast potatoes and pumpkin, peas and apple sauce last night and it turned out a treat.

The crackling was supurb. will have pork sangas for a coupla days if it survives today that is

Oh, thanks, Bronco. Got me salivating and ... no recipe! Crackling... How to make Por favor?

[Pink Mist]

I usually score the meat more thoroughly than the butcher, they get a bit slack here.

I rub salt into the scoreing and skin, use heaps, I apply canola cooking spray to the roast, then pop it into hot oven ( around 220 c ) and baste often.

Potatoes I boil untill outsides are just soft, I use a fork to score these also, then into oven 1 hour after roast went in ( depends on size of meat of course )

Put the pumpkin in after spuds, keep basting untill cooked.

Roast is ready when you can put a spike into it and no bllos comes out, just a clear liquid.

try that

[Jet Gorgon]

bllos?

Do you cover until later in the cooking?

[WaiWai]

bllos?

Think that might be "blood". He got overexited and had to rush off for another slice.

[buriramboy]

with pork chops i have to confess to being a lazy b@stard, i buy the marinated ones from either foodland or carrefour, bit of butter in my George Forman grill and 4-5 minutes later you have the perfect pork chop.

BB

[pumpuiman]

A trick I learned when camping with wild goat hunters in Hawaii.

Add some slices of green papaya (ripe wont work) to your marinade of soy sauce, garlic, ginger and onion.

Something about the enzymes in the papaya will tenderize the toughest meat.

If left for too long the papaya will turn the meat to mush....just a few hours is good.

Really works wonders.

[tutsiwarrior]

A trick I learned when camping with wild goat hunters in Hawaii.

Add some slices of green papaya (ripe wont work) to your marinade of soy sauce, garlic, ginger and onion.

Something about the enzymes in the papaya will tenderize the toughest meat.

If left for too long the papaya will turn the meat to mush....just a few hours is good.

Really works wonders.

yeah...someone suggested that on another thread using beef...gonna wait 'till the somtam lady comes around then 'one somtam please; no nam pla, no chile, no lime juice just sliced papaya without any ob dat mortar an' pestal business, ta...'...toss inta de marinade an' bob's yer uncle...

[sceadugenga]

A trick I learned when camping with wild goat hunters in Hawaii.

Add some slices of green papaya (ripe wont work) to your marinade of soy sauce, garlic, ginger and onion.

Something about the enzymes in the papaya will tenderize the toughest meat.

If left for too long the papaya will turn the meat to mush....just a few hours is good.

Really works wonders.

yeah...someone suggested that on another thread using beef...gonna wait 'till the somtam lady comes around then 'one somtam please; no nam pla, no chile, no lime juice just sliced papaya without any ob dat mortar an' pestal business, ta...'...toss inta de marinade an' bob's yer uncle...

That's not a bad idea

[cathyy]

Yep, papaya is the source of the enzyme papain, which is the active ingredient in thing's like Adolf's meat tenderizer. Works. In the PI we used green papaya in the Chicken Adobo to make it tender, actually cooking the papaya with the meat. that works, too, and the heat deactivates the enzyme before it tenderizes the meat to much. Green papaya is a lovely cooked vegetable.