Boursin Pork Chops

  

I don’t make pork chops all that often and I’m not entirely sure why, because every time I do, I’m always struck by how simple they are to make, how they take so little time, and are always delicious. This is another one of those recipes that is so easy anyone can do it, it’s on the table in 30 minutes or less, and one could argue that it is good enough for company.Boursin Pork Chops

 4 boneless pork chops, 1” thick

½ t. garlic powder

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

2 large Melissa’s shallots, chopped

¾ c. chicken broth

1 5.2-oz. pkg. Boursin Fine Herbs & Garlic cheese, softened

1-2 T. chopped fresh parsley

 If you have the time, remove pork chops from the refrigerator 15 to 20 minutes prior to beginning the recipe.

 Pat chops dry with a paper towel, and season both sides with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter and get it good and hot without burning. Cook the pork chops for 5 minutes per side or until golden; remove to a warm plate. 

To the skillet, add the shallots and sauté for about 3-5 minutes or until softened and lightly browned. Add more oil to the pan, if needed.

Add the chicken broth and the Boursin to the skillet. Stir until smooth and creamy. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, and then stir in the chopped parsley.

 Add the pork chops (and any plate juices) back in and simmer for another 3-5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened a bit more and the pork chops are cooked through (145°F. minimum). Adjust seasoning if necessary.

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Kirsten's Fried Pork Chops with Country Gravy

Last week, lured by an exceptional sale, I bought a pack of pork chops. After I got home and started unloading my groceries, I wondered what the heck I was thinking. Sure, I’m weak and pathetic when it comes to a bargain; still, I hadn’t made pork chops in years. I decided to pull out the behemoth that was the cookbook of favorite recipes that my husband and I had put together over our 23 years, and came across this one. It had been heavily annotated, including the mention of how quick and easy these were, and how much we both enjoyed them. That was all I needed to hear. Brining is of the utmost importance here so don’t skip that step. Do make these. They are, indeed, quick and easy, and they certainly are delicious!

Kirsten's Fried Pork Chops with Country Gravy

From food.com, adapted, edited for clarity

 Basic Brine:

3 c. boiling water

¼ c. kosher salt

¼ c. sugar

2 c. ice cubes

6 bone-in pork rib chops (each 1/2-inch thick) or 6 boneless pork chops

 Country Gravy:

½ lb. bulk fresh sausage

2 T. flour

2 c. half-and-half, plus additional if needed

Freshly grated nutmeg

¼ t. Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

 ½ c. flour

Sausage fat or bacon fat

 To make the brine:

Put the water in a large bowl and stir in the salt and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add ice cubes and cool the mixture to at least 45ºF. Submerge the pork chops in the brine. Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 4. Remove the pork chops from the brine, pat dry, and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator until ready to cook.

 To make the gravy:

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, breaking it up with a spatula or fork. Pour off all but 2 T. of the fat and discard. Reserve the fat in a cup for cooking chops. Sprinkle the flour over the cooked sausage in the skillet; stir to coat. Gradually stir in the half-and-half, nutmeg, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add more half-and-half if the sauce becomes too thick. Season, to taste, with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Cover the skillet and set aside while you cook the chops.

 To cook chops:

Sprinkle the chops generously with pepper. Dredge then in the flour, shaking off excess. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the reserved fat plus additional oil to a depth of 1/8-inch over medium-high heat. Put the chops in the pan, as many as will fit without crowding, and fry until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. To serve, put 1 chop on each plate and spoon the gravy over the top. Serve extra gravy on the side to pour biscuits or grits.

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Slow Cooked Pork Chops Chanterelle

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I have an old freezer, and I am talking ancient. My guess is that it’s older than some of you are. The plus in having an old freezer is that it’s a good one; the downside is that it is not frost-free. It’s beyond time for me to defrost this monster, but I need to empty it out beforehand. So, I was rummaging around in what I like to refer to as the “Arctic north,” and found a package of pork chops. I didn’t want to trouble myself to do much with them, so adapted an old recipe I had from the 70s to include chanterelle mushrooms. The mushrooms imparted a wonderful, woodsy taste as well as a certain elegance. Tender and flavorful, this easy dish, paired with wild rice and a roasted vegetable, is company worthy.

Slow Cooked Pork Chops Chanterelle

4 bone-in pork chops

1 (1 oz.) pkg. Melissa’s dried chanterelles

1 (1 oz.) pkg. onion soup mix

1 (14 oz.) can low sodium chicken broth

1 (10.5 oz.) can low sodium cream of chicken soup

1 (1 oz.) pkg. dry pork gravy mix

½ t. garlic powder

Sprinkle garlic powder on both sides of pork chops and set aside.

Hydrate mushrooms according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together onion soup mix, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and pork gravy mix until well combined.

Spray slow cooker with PAM. Place pork chops in the bottom of slow cooker, and pour soup mixture over top.

Scatter hydrated mushrooms on top, cover, and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

Pork Chops with Guinness and Onion Gravy

A couple of weeks ago I was in the mood for a piece of cake. Don't ask me why, I probably only crave cake a couple of times a year, but the craving was strong, and I just had to have it. When I make cake, I generally make my favorite chocolate cake, the rich and delicious Chocolate Stout Cake, with equally rich and delicious chocolate frosting.

I had all of the ingredients on hand, including a large can of Guinness (don't ask me why). The problem was that the cake only called for half of the can and not being a beer drinker, I had no clue what to do with the rest. I cannot abide waste in any form, so started hunting around for recipes, and fell upon this one for pork chops in Guinness gravy. I knew this was fated because I had thawed pork chops the night before.

It's a recipe that I had cut out of a Bon Appetit magazine from 1989 (!!) and am only just getting around to trying (and am kicking myself for not trying it sooner). These are tender and delicious, and the gravy is incredible over a side of mashed potatoes. I only made two chops, but halved the sauce so as to have plenty.

Pork Chops with Guinness and Onion Gravy

8 1-inch thick pork chops
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
All purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large onions, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Guinness stout

1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon coarse-grained mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Season pork with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shake off excess. Melt butter with 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork in batches and brown well, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer pork to plate. Set aside.

Dredge onions in flour; shake off excess. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Season with salt. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring once.

 Uncover and cook 4 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/4 cup stout and 3/4 cup stock and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Return pork to skillet.

 Spoon some of onions over pork. Add enough additional stout and stock to bring liquid halfway up sides of pork. Cover skillet with foil, then lid. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Turn pork over and cook until very tender, about 25 more minutes. Transfer pork and onions to platter using slotted spoon. Deglaze pan juices. Boil juices until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Whisk in 1 tablespoon mustard. Add chopped parsley and 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar. Taste, adding more mustard or vinegar if desired. Pour gravy over pork. Garnish with parsley and serve.

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This post is linked to: Silver Pennies Sunday, Art of Homemaking, Amaze Me Monday, Busy Mondays, Inspiration Monday, Cooking & Crafting with J&J, Inspire Me Tuesday, Tuesdays At Our Home, Two Cup Tuesday, Tutorials and Tips Tuesday, Homemaking Party Tuesday, Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Create It Thursday, The DIY Collective, Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Cider-Brined Pork Chops in Bourbon Sauce

 I am a big fan of “the other white meat” and particularly when that white meat is made more tender and flavorful through the process of brining.  This time of the year with an abundance of fresh cider readily available, it’s time for cider brining and delicious roasted pork chops. This recipe is going to take a bit of planning in that the chops are at their most juicy and tender if brined overnight.  Brine is easily made, but takes some time to cool, so allow for this. The next day you pretty much have it made when it’s time for dinner.  Pop a potato into the oven before you get started with the preparation, have some English peas ready to be warmed in a nearby pan, and begin making a delicious fall meal. 

Cider-Brined Pork Chops in Bourbon Sauce

Serves 4

4 1-inch-thick brined rib chops

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 medium shallot, minced

1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1/3 cup Bourbon

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

To make brine:

2 cups fresh apple cider

2 tablespoons Kosher salt

3 allspice berries

1 bay leaf

2 cups ice water

Bring cider, salt, allspice, and bay leaf to boil in a large saucepan, stirring to dissolve salt. Remove from heat. Stir in ice water and allow to cool completely. Place chops in 9x9-inch glass baking dish. Top with brine. Cover; refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Remove chops from brine, rinse, and pat dry.  Season chops with pepper and dust lightly with flour.

Heat olive oil in a 12” oven safe sauté pan over medium high heat.  Brown chops, on both sides, turning after 3-4 minutes.  Cover pan with oven safe lid or foil, and place in preheated oven for 10 minutes to roast.  Remove chops to a warm platter.

Sauté garlic and shallot in drippings over medium-high heat until soft (1-2 minutes).  Deglaze pan with bourbon and broth.  Stir in sugar and vinegar.  Cook to reduce by half. 

Stir in cream and add pork chops back to the pan.  Cook for 2 minutes on each side until sauce has thickened to your liking and pork chops are done. 

This post is linked to:

Thursday Favorite Things

Full Plate Thursday

Create It Thursday 

 Show and Tell Friday 

Friday Unfolded

Simple and Sweet Fridays

Simple Crockpot Pork Chops

I am campaigning for the Simple Sunday Supper.  A satisfying, family-friendly meal that takes little time to put together so that you can enjoy your day with your favorite people, or have some quiet time to yourself. When did that last happen?  Enter this simple pork chop recipe.  Nothing at all to do ahead, just pop everything into a crockpot, and let it cook on low for most of the day.  Pair it with Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes and Glazed Rainbow Carrots with Dill, and you have an easy dinner that's a real winner.

Simple Crockpot Pork Chops

2 to 4 pork chops

1 package Lipton dry onion soup mix

1 can low-sodium Cream of Mushroom Soup

½ soup can white wine

Place chops in the bottom of a crockpot.  Sprinkle onion soup over chops.  Pour mushroom soup and wine over chops, spreading to cover.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

This post is linked to:

Wow Us Wednesday
What’s In The Kitchen 
Work It Wednesday
Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

Cider Brined Pork Chops with Criminis & Sage

This is a quick and easy recipe that is going to result in a delicious and elegant dish.  It’s simple Crockpot fare, but even so it needn’t be run of the mill.  The secret to getting exceptional results is substituting some rather mundane ingredients with those that will yield a richer, more complex taste.

When making any dish using pork chops, brine them first.  It is going to tenderize them, make them juicier, and this simple cider brine imparts a barely there sweetness that makes such a big difference in taste.

I brined mine in the fridge for four hours before putting them into the Crockpot for eight.  Yes, it was a crazy long day of cooking, but I tend to be a night owl and was making dinner for my parents, so it really didn’t matter to me.  You might want to brine yours before retiring for the night, and then put them in the Crockpot in the morning.

Cider Brined Pork Chops with Criminis & Sage

To make brine:

2 cups apple cider

2 tablespoons Kosher salt

3 allspice berries

1 bay leaf

2 cups ice water

Bring cider, salt, allspice, and bay leaf to boil in large saucepan, stirring to dissolve salt. Remove from heat. Stir in ice water and allow to cool completely. Place pork in 9x9-inch glass baking dish. Top with brine. Cover; refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.

To make chops:

4 bone-in pork chops

1 package Lipton Golden Onion soup mix

6 large, fresh crimini mushrooms, cut into ¼” slices

¼ teaspoon rubbed sage

1 can Campbell’s Cream of Celery soup

1 cup mushroom stock*

Place brined pork chops into the bottom of a Crockpot.  Sprinkle onion soup mixture over chops.  Top with sliced mushrooms.  Stir together the celery soup, rubbed sage, and mushroom stock and pour over all.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

*Remember yesterday’s potatoes?  This is why I had you save the mushroom liquid.  If you didn’t, then just use water.

This post is linked to:

Foodie Friday

Kirsten's Fried Pork Chops with Country Gravy

Believe it or not, this is actually a breakfast dish. Now I don't know about you, but no matter how hungry I am in the morning, the last thing I want is a pork chop.  Pancakes yes, pork chops, no!  So, I made these for dinner.  I was actually looking for a recipe that was fairly quick, easy, and didn't call for any oddball ingredients when I stumbled upon this one in Bruce Aidells's Complete Book of Pork: A Guide to Buying, Storing, and Cooking the World's Favorite Meat.  It advocates what I've been doing for years, namely brining pork (I'll never cook another pork chop without brining ever again!). If you're one of those people like I used to be who thought pork chops were chewy and dry, wait until you try this!  I let them brine for about 6 hours before cooking and they were moist and tender and so delicious.  It's worth making for the gravy alone, but do try the chops as well.

Kirsten's Fried Pork Chops with Country Gravy

BASIC BRINE:
3 cups cold water
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar (I used light brown)
2 cups ice cubes
6 bone-in pork rib chops (each 1/2-inch thick) or 6 boneless pork chops

COUNTRY GRAVY
1/2 pound bulk fresh sausage (I used Bob Evans' "Hot")
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half, plus additional if needed
Freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Sausage fat or bacon fat

DIRECTIONS

To make the brine: Put the water in a large bowl and stir in the salt and sugar until the sugar is dissolved (I add the salt and sugar to a cup of water and microwave it for 3 minutes until everything is well dissolved, then add the rest of the water and ice cubes). Add the ice cubes and cool the mixture to at least 45 degrees F. Submerge the pork chops in the brine. Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 4. Remove the pork chops from the brine, pat dry, and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator until ready to cook.

To make the gravy: In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, breaking it up with a spatula or fork. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat and discard. Reserve the fat in a cup for cooking chops.

Sprinkle the flour over the cooked sausage in the skillet; stir to coat. Gradually stir in the half-and-half, nutmeg and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add more half-and-half if the sauce becomes too thick. Season, to taste, with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Cover the skillet and set aside while you cook the chops.

Sprinkle the chops generously with pepper. Dredge them in the flour, shaking off excess. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the reserved fat plus additional oil to a depth of 1/8-inch over medium-high heat. Put the chops in the pan, as many as will fit without crowding, and fry until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. If you're cooking more than one batch of chops, keep the fried chops warm in a preheated 250 degrees F oven.

To serve, put 1 chop on each diner's plate (you will have 2 remaining for second helpings) and spoon the gravy over them. Serve extra gravy on the side to pour over biscuits or grits...or not.

This post is linked to:

Savvy Home Made Monday @ Home Savvy A to Z
Melt In Your Mouth Monday @ Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms
Mouthwatering Mondays @ A Southern Fairytale
Homemaker Mondays @ 11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven
Recipe Sharing Monday @ Jam HandsMenu Mondays @ Faith and Family

Making You Crave Monday @ Mrs. Happy Homemaker

Brined Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples and Whiskey Cream

This is a delicious, company-worthy meal that, with a bit of advanced preparation, can go together in under an hour.  The advanced prep is brining the pork chops.  If you've never brined meat before, you're in for a real treat.  No matter how I decide to fix pork chops, I always brine them first.  When brined they are tender, juicy, so flavorful, and never dry!

This, plus ice and water, is all you need to brine pork chops.

This recipe serves two, so a loaf pan is the perfect vessel for brining.

Brined Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples and Whiskey Cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 1-inch-thick loin pork chops

2 Honey Crisp apples

2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons Irish Whiskey (I use Jameson)

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon celery salt

1/8 teaspoon crumbled dried sage

Remove pork chops from brine, rinse in cold water and pat dry.  Discard brine.  In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the butter over moderately high heat until the foam subsides.  Brown the chops, seasoned with pepper, for 2-3 minutes on each side, and transfer them to a plate. Pour off the fat from the skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoons butter.  Saut� the apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths, with 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes, or until they are golden. Add the whiskey, wine, the remaining tablespoon brown sugar, the cream, the celery salt, and the sage, bring the mixture to a boil, and add the chops with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Simmer the mixture, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the chops are done. Cook the sauce for 3-5 minutes longer, or until it is thickened and golden.  Pour it over the chops and apples.

Pork Brine Recipe: 

1/4 cup coarse kosher salt

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup boiling water 

2 cups ice water

Put salt and sugar into a two-cup Pyrex glass measuring cup (or other microwave-safe cup) and add 1 cup of water.  Microwave for 3 minutes until the water comes to a rolling boil and the sugar and salt is completely dissolved.  This may take more or less time depending upon the wattage of your microwave oven.  Allow this mixture to cool for about 20 minutes.  Pour this mixture into a loaf pan and add three cups of ice water.  Stir to blend.  Once all of the ice has melted submerge the pork chops.  Cover the loaf pan with plastic and place chops in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours.

This is linked to Foodie Friday.