Need to tweak

[mitch_the_chef]

Today i made a pork chop braised in applejuice with salt, pepper, and a sprig of rosemary. I must of cooked it for about fifteen to twenty minutes, and it came out much to tender. It almost dissolved in my mouth, any tips??

[Michael in FtW]

My first question would have to be ... how thick was the pork chop? Second - how high was the temp?

[mitch_the_chef]

I think it was about an inch thick. I also think i got braising mixed up sorry I keep making mistakes today. Anyway I put it on a pan on the stovetop and filled it with applejuice almost to the top of the porkchop and added the rosemary, salt and pepper. It was on meidium high heat.

[texasgirl]

Mistakes are tough, but, you wouldn't learn without them, sweetie. Keep up the good work.

[mitch_the_chef]

Thanks its just i think i messed up in the corn breab/cake forum i made today. Well I guess you must be right, that made me feel much better.

[texasgirl]

Mitch, there are not very many 14 year olds that are even interested in cooking, much less, wanting to learn new things! We're all proud of you for your learning. You'll learn more as you go, noone came from the womb cooking. Even the best chefs had to learn from mistakes. Your doing just fine. Just don't forget to have fun while you cook. I forget to do that sometimes and I have step back and breathe and remember that I like to cook, and it's not a chore.

[mitch_the_chef]

Thanks Alot!

I guess i just need to have fun, and i do. Just sometimes i get all mad about relatively small things. Thanks!

Your pal,
Mitch

[college_cook]

I think your problem was that applejuice has too much acid. Have you ever seen that science experiment in school where you drop a bit of beef into some coke, to watch the effect it has on it? The coke's acid basically dissolves the beef, and while applejuice is nowhere near as acidic as soda, that's probably what caused you problem. Next time you try chops like this, try only putting in enough applejuice to cover the bottom of the pan, and I think you'll want to be cooking in a medium temp. range.

[ironchef]

Next time, use a different cut of pork. A whole pork roast or pork loin roast is what you want to use. A 1" thick pork chop cooks much too quickly and is already too tender a cut for braising. For your liquid, use 3 parts of chicken stock per every 1 part of apple juice if you want apple flavor. When braising, the liquid should come up to at least 3/4 the way up the sides of the meat. Braising is also mainly used for cuts of meat that normally too tough to eat through quicker cooking methods like sauteeing (i.e. You would never braise a Filet Mignon). The best way to cook the pork chops would be just to pan sear or grill. The apple juice would be fine to then de-glaze the pan with to make a pan-gravy, but again you would want to use some sort of buffer like chicken stock or else the sauce will be too sweet.

[mudbug]

I'm with ironchef. But what I would do is fry up some nice tart apple slices to go with that chop. (Doesn't hurt to add some sliced onions to the apples, either.)

[RPCookin]

I don't know the exact recipe, my all my life I have loved my mother's apple pork chops. She cores the apple, cuts it in half across the core so that there is a hole through the middle. She arranges the chops in a single layer in a baking pan, puts an apple half on each one, and I think a dollop of brown sugar in the hole in the apple, and then bakes them till the chops are done. Then comes the best part.... she makes gravy for mashed potatoes from the drippings which have that apple tang... marvelous. Use a tart apple (winesap or granny smith), not delicious or some other sweet ones.

[mitch_the_chef]

Haha I guess alot of people like apples and pork, because i love it. My mom makes these delicious pork chops (I dont hae the recipe), and i would always dip them in applesauce. I will try baking apples as that sounds pretty good with the gravy and mashed potatos and all. I also wanted to know if there is something else that is good with pork, any suggestions?

[mudbug]

in no particular order, I think these also go well with pork

black beans
peaches (see Jamie Oliver's recipe for pork roast stuffed w/peaches)
rice
pineapple
braised in chili sauce and red wine w/onions (my mom's specialty)

[mitch_the_chef]

Oh thanks a whole lot mudbug. I think I'm going to use some of this really expensive black rice that I got a little while ago with the pork and apple. Also I was wondering what book the jamie oliver recipe was from, I have a couple and wated to see if I could look it up.

[choclatechef]

I hope you don't mind my asking, but are you mitchy on the Kitchenaid forum?

[mudbug]

mitch, I'm not sure where to find Jamie's recipe. I saw him make it on TV and it looked abfab. You could google it, probably.

[mitch_the_chef]

hehe no choclatechef i'm not, just a quincidence. And also thanks mudbug ill try one of the food tv websites.

[Michael in FtW]

Originally Posted by mitch_the_chef

I think it was about an inch thick. I also think i got braising mixed up sorry I keep making mistakes today. Anyway I put it on a pan on the stovetop and filled it with applejuice almost to the top of the porkchop and added the rosemary, salt and pepper. It was on meidium high heat.

Sounds like you were somewhere between boiling and stewing.

There are a LOT of ways to cook pork chops with apples - as others have noted. But, using your recipe - sear the chops on each side for about 2-3 minutes, add 1-2 cups applejuice (it shouldn't be more than 1/4 up the side of the chops - helf that would be okay), when the juice comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and slap the lid on ... let it simmer (braise) for about 15-20 minutes.

[mitch_the_chef]

Thanks Mike, sounds good.

[jkath]

RP - would you mind getting that recipe from your mom? That sounds like one of those "ulitmate comfort foods"!

Mitch, I am so impressed with your hunger for knowledge! You must also be a very good student in school. Good job, buddy.