If you’re having guests over for dinner and want to serve a meaty entrée that’s not too fussy to prepare, think pork chops. Boneless pork loin chops, that is, that you can brown and braise until flavourful and tender, the method I used in today’s recipe that serves six.
To make it, because I wanted the dish to serve two chops per person, I purchased 12 smaller in size, boneless pork loin chops, each about 85 grams. Chops cut that size are sold in the meat department of supermarkets and at butcher chops. If you were a keener and handy with a knife, you could also by a one-kilogram or so boneless, pork loin roast and sliced it yourself into the 12 chops needed here.
Once home with my chops, to ensure they would brown properly, I patted them dry with paper towel, and then seasoned and floured them. I browned the chops in hot oil in a skillet and transferred them to a baking dish.
In the skillet, I prepared a braising liquid that consisted of BC-made, dry alcoholic apple cider, whole grain mustard, a splash of cider vinegar, sage and few other flavourings. Once that mixture was simmering, it was poured over the chops, and they were covered and baked until tender. You can also use non-alcoholic cider.
When ready, the chops were lifted out of the baking dish and arranged on a large platter. The braising liquid was poured into a pot, thickened and turned into a sauce that was poured over and served with the pork chops.
Serve the chops with side dishes, such as rice pilaf or mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts and carrots or any other vegetables you think would work, sliced baguette, and a nice green salad.
Braised Pork Chops with Cider and Grainy Mustard
Boneless pork chops, floured, browned, set in a baking dish, covered and braised until tender in a cider-rich mixture flavoured with mustard and sage.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 87 to 102 minutes
Makes: six servings
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
12 (each about 85 grams) boneless pork loin chops
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups dry alcoholic apple cider (see Note)
1/4 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp dried sage leaves, or 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
1 tsp smoked or regular paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp cold water
• honey, to taste (optional)
• small sprigs of fresh sage or parsley, for garnish
Spread flour on a plate. Pat pork chops dry with paper towel. With a sharp knife, make a few slits into the fat/rind side of each chop. This should prevent the chops from curling up when they cook. Season chops with salt and pepper, and then coat each chop with flour.
Preheat oven to 325 F. Set out a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Heat oil in a large skillet set over medium, medium-high heat. When oil is hot, brown the pork chops, in batches, about three minutes per side. Set the browned chops in the baking dish, in a slightly overlapping layer.
Drain the excess fat from the skillet, and then add the cider, mustard, vinegar, sage, paprika and garlic powder. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then pour over the pork chops. Cover chops with foil and bake 75 to 90 minutes, or until very tender.
Remove pork chops from the oven and uncover. Turn oven to 200 F. Use tongs to lift the chops out of the baking dish and on to a large, ovenproof serving platter. Set the platter in the oven.
Carefully pour the braising liquid from the baking dish into a small pot and set over medium, medium-high. Whisk in the cornstarch/water mixture, and bring this sauce to a simmer. Simmer one minute, or until lightly thickened. Taste the sauce, and sweeten it with a little honey if you find it too acidic. Also, season sauce with salt and pepper, if needed. Spoon half the sauce over the pork chops. Put the rest of the sauce in a small sauceboat. Garnish the platter of pork chops with sprigs of fresh sage or parsley, set on the dining table and serve the sauceboat of sauce beside it.
Note: The type of alcoholic cider I used when testing this recipe was Cowichan Dry Cider made by Vancouver Island’s Merridale Craft Cidery. It’s sold at many liquor stores. A 473-millilitre can of it yielded the 2 cups needed for the recipe. Other types of dry cider will also work in this recipe. If you can’t have alcohol, replace the alcoholic cider with 2 cups non-alcoholic dry cider or 2 cups unsweetened apple juice plus an extra 1 Tbsp of cider vinegar.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
