Pork chops: what's your cut?

[buckytom]

what kind of pork chop person are you? rib, loin, sirloin end, or what?

i've noticed a lot of folks eating pork chops of late, so i just thought i'd ask.

recipes for your best pork chop are greatly appreciated.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Ooo, pork chops. Well, for grilling our best ones have been the loin chop with the bone, cut double thick. I brine it a couple of hours before Himself slaps it on the ol' Sunbeam, never the same recipe twice. Although I will try to duplicate last year's version that used fresh apple cider - if I can find my recipe.

I buy a whole, cryo'ed boneless pork loin when they're on sale cheap, and cut thick chops from the middle part. I wrap and freeze the two roasts for crock-pot meals down the road. Maybe I pan cook the chops, maybe Himself cooks them outside, sometimes I grill them on the Cuisinart Griddler. Never anything fancy, and always seasoned differently.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I like them all except boneless!

I don't really use recipes for pork chops.

My first choice is a thick porterhouse or T bone cut. Brown them in a hot pan, season them with salt, pepper and Bell's poultry seasoning, cover and let cook for a few minutes until the moisture is evaporated and everything that remains in the pan is kind of brown and syrupy.

I like them breaded with a mixture of panko breadcrumbs, romano cheese, various herbs and spices. Sort of a cheapskates Shake'N Bake!

Stuffed thick cut pork chops are also high on my list, they are great for one or two people as a main course for a holiday meal.

Pork chops are also nice for breakfast with eggs and home fries.

 

[CraigC]

+1 on liking all pork chops. I love the real thick, bone in for grilling, beer brined of course. I like to use the boneless center cut, about 2" thick for stuffing with an apple, apple/sausage or cajun style mix. We have use the thin, bone in chops in scalloped potatoes or German version of boiled diner.

 

[Caslon]

To tell you the truth, the only way I know to cook pork chops is the Shake 'N Bake way.

I'd like to make them another way.

Like...broiled or baked ...with a sliced onion on top.

Btw, stewed tomatoes as a side. Great reason to serve stewed tomatoes. With a pork chop.

 

[Aunt Bea]

This is nice on a cold winter night. You can use thin chops or pork steaks, don't shred the cabbage fine, make big ribbons about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch wide. The next day cook a carrot and some celery in chicken stock, chop the leftover cabbage milk mixture and combine them to make a great soup.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f104/thursdays-dinner-march-13-2014-a-89244.html#post1351102

 

[CraigC]

To tell you the truth, the only way I know to cook pork chops is the Shake 'N Bake way.

I'd like to make them another way.

Like...broiled or baked ...with a sliced onion on top.

Btw, stewed tomatoes as a side. Great reason to serve stewed tomatoes. With a pork chop.

Why not cook thin, bone in chops in the stewed tomatoes and serve over mashies? Season with S&P then brown the chops. Remove and saute sliced onion in the pan. Add the stewed tomatoes and deglaze the pan. Add the chops and any juices back, cover and braise until tender. You can do it stove top or in a 350 F oven.

 

[GotGarlic]

I love pork chops especially bone-in rib chops. I serve them all kinds of ways. Always salt and pepper them first, or put those spices in the marinade, then:

• Brushed with Dijon mustard mixed with dried thyme, then grilled
• San Francisco chops - browned and simmered in a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and red pepper flakes
• Shoulder chops, a la city chicken - breaded, browned and simmered in onion gravy
• Shoulder chops pizzaiola - browned and simmered in pizza sauce
• Greek - marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and garlic and pan-fried or grilled. Deglaze the browned bits in the pan with white wine and chicken stock, then pour it over the chops to serve.
• Parmesan chops - breaded with Parmesan cheese, dried oregano and garlic powder in the breading, then pan-fried. Same pan sauce as above.
• Maple-glazed loin chops - browned, then brushed with a mixture of real maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and red pepper flakes, then baked till done

I rarely bake them because I like to have the nice browned crust and crispy fat I also don't broil them because it's too easy to overcook them. If I cook them in a pan or on the grill, I can watch them more easily.

 

[GotGarlic]

+1 on liking all pork chops. I love the real thick, bone in for grilling, beer brined of course. I like to use the boneless center cut, about 2" thick for stuffing with an apple, apple/sausage or cajun style mix. We have use the thin, bone in chops in scalloped potatoes or German version of boiled diner.

I really like the idea of using the thin chops in scalloped potatoes

 

[Andy M.]

If I buy bone-in chops I do so for stuffing. I prefer the single muscle of the rib chop over the loin chop which has a piece of the tenderloin attached or the shoulder chop which has several muscles involved.

Otherwise, I don't often buy from that part of the pig because it's too lean and dries out easily.

 

[taxlady]

Why not cook thin, bone in chops in the stewed tomatoes and serve over mashies? Season with S&P then brown the chops. Remove and saute sliced onion in the pan. Add the stewed tomatoes and deglaze the pan. Add the chops and any juices back, cover and braise until tender. You can do it stove top or in a 350 F oven.

I was going to suggest the same thing. Easy, tasty meal. Also goes well with brown rice or pasta.

 

[taxlady]

This is one of my favourite ways to cook pork chops: http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f49/tnt-pork-with-mushroom-herb-sauce-68116.html#post934920

 

[lyndalou]

the Pioneer Woman did pork chops on one of her programs. As I recall, she dredged them in seasoned flour and cooked them in a fry pan using butter & canola oil. They were very thin chops and she cooked them 3-4 mins per side. I haven't tried it, so not sure about the results. Of course, on the program everyone just loved them.

 

[buckytom]

i can't watch the pioneer woman. her recipes and the overall premise of the show are ok, but the permanent smile on her face just bugs me.but getting back to chops: great ideas so far everyone! thanks.

andy, i've never seen anyone try to stuff anything but a rib chop.

caslon, if you like pork chop and stewed tomatoes, why not make pork chops in tomato sauce?

it's as easy as browning the chops (any cut will do, but the fattier the better, imo), then simmering them in a doctored up jar of a tomato sauce you like.

i usually add garlic, onions, green bell peppers, fresh basil, and mushrooms.

 

[Rocklobster]

I like mine fairly fatty and thinnish. My favorite way is to do them very basic in a hot frying pan. I love the flavor of browned/blackened meat with a crispy covering on the fatty parts. Just a bit of steak spice and/or cinnamon.

 

[Cheryl J]

This is one of my favourite ways to cook pork chops: http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f49/tnt-pork-with-mushroom-herb-sauce-68116.html#post934920

This is basically one of my favorite ways, too. It's one of my comfort foods and I've been making it this way for years. I use a pork shoulder steak, brown it good, drain about half the fat or so, and add flour and milk to make a gravy. Usually I add mushrooms and onions, sometimes not. I add the pork steak back in to the gravy and simmer until tender. Yum.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

This is my Peter Brady Pork Chops and Applesauce:


I grilled the Chops with thick cut peeled and cored apples



Made the AppleSauce



EAT!
(insert drooling emoticon here)

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Ack! I forgot to add that smoked pork chops are one of our favorite treat meals. I get them from the butcher one town over - he has a pork rancher friend that he gets the meat from, then smoked the entire rack himself. At least twice the price of fresh, but ten times better when you have a taste for them. Sear in a big frypan, add fresh, tipped green beans and a bit of water, and put the lid on them. When the beans are done, you eat. The beans get such a good salty/smokey flavor that we each eat almost a pound!

 

[vitauta]

i loove all things pork. one of my favorite cuts of pork is the fresh ham steak. it has the full-bodied flavor of roast pork, and makes the most delicious gravy or sauce. extra special when you are having mashed potatoes. this is a cut rarely seen ready-packaged in supermarkets, but when available, it is very reasonably priced, costing much less than either rib or loin cut chops. i buy grass-fed pork from local pig farms, like 'babes in the woods'. grass-fed pork, if you can get it, is worth every penny of the extra you pay over the regular.

 

[vitauta]

some good info and recipes here: just scroll down to 'everything you need to know about pork chops'
https://mail.google.com/mail/#inbox/14850ab9cf23f927