Sunday, July 21, 2013

Gone Fishin' Series - Salt and Pepper Pork Chops




I was surprised when this recipe moved into the top ten, but the recipe apparently has cross-cultural appeal. It has slowly elbowed the competition out of the way and moved into the charmed circle. This is a classic Chinese dish and I hope you won't let the title put you off. The salty flavor comes from soy sauce and you can use a low-sodium variety if you are watching your salt intake. This is a quick and easy dish that I hope soon makes it to your table. I think your family will love these chops. There is nothing here not to like.










From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Like many small families we eat a lot of chicken and pork. They make it possible for us to have meals that can be eaten in one sitting without having to deal with leftovers. For years after the children were on their own, I'd use pork tenderloin because it was fast to make and always tender. We love pork chops, but cooking them properly and serving them before they become shoe leather isn't always easy. More often than not, they need to be brined to keep them moist and tender as they cook. While doing some reading in preparation for our, now completed, trip to China, I came across a recipe from Taiwan that used thin cut pork chops. I thought the recipe was worth a try and we've been delighted with the results ever since. If you like, a reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari can be used to marinate the chops. The chops should be no thicker than 3/8 of an inch. If yours are more than that, beat them to submission. While the marinade can be made in less than 5 minutes, the chops should laze in it for at least an hour before they're are cooked. Total cooking time is less than 5 minutes and, be forewarned, the chops will toughen if they are overcooked. I serve these right from the pan with scallion rice and a bean sprout salad. I know you're going to love these. Here's the recipe.

Salt and Pepper Pork Chops
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite with a lot of help from Wei-Chuan Cooking School Taiwan

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 pounds boneless thin-cut pork loin chops
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
1) Combine soy sauce, cornstarch, pepper, sugar and salt in bottom of 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan. Stir with a fork until all ingredients are combined and marinade is smooth. Add chops, turning to coat both sides. Cover dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate, turning occasionally, for 1 to 24 hours.
2) Heat oil in a large frying pan set over medium high heat. Add pork, working in batches if necessary. Cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to serving plate or serve from pan. Yield: 4 servings.

7 comments :

Ginny Hartzler said...

This looks AWESOME!!! My mom used to order pork chops whenever we went out, if the place offered them. It has been SO long since I tasted one...

Chiara said...

Mary, this sounds so good, thanks for sharing ! have a lovely day, blessings...

Kim said...

I'm not a huge huge fan of pork chops but I'm sure these are good:)

Big Dude said...

I'm reading this before breakfast and it made me instantly hungry - they look delicious.

Unknown said...

I've tried these and we LOVE them!! I can see how they ranked up in the top ten... and being so simple doesn't hurt them at all :)

decocinasytacones said...

I love pork chops....these ones look amazing.
Love
Marialuisa

David said...

Mary, I noticed Big Dude's comment...and I think that these pork chops would be great for breakfast with a couple of eggs on the side! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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