Every once in a while we love to savor red meat. Pure and simple, we crave it. Sometimes our cravings lead us to bison, rarely to beef (almost never), and sometimes again to pork. Portions are strictly limited (as in weighed, trimmed, weighed again) to 5 ounces pre-cooked weight. Good pork that never left the state nor saw the inside of a packing plant is not too difficult to find in Iowa and we love it. We love it about every six weeks or less, but we still love it. The boneless chops have a beautiful color you will never see beneath shrink-wrap in your local ‘meat isle’. If you don’t have a source for local pork find a butcher shop and purchase pork that has never been frozen; it does impact your palette! This pork is not grilled or broiled, as every drop of moisture needs to remain in the meat while cooking. The result will be a soft mouth feel that allows all the flavors to invade your sense of taste – it is that good! The pork is served with Brussels sprouts in a maple/tomato sauce. The sauce is technically a gastrique as it combines sweet and sour. Maple and tomato you ask? This may sound a bit unusual but it is wonderful, especially when accompanied by a thin slice of grilled French bread that soaks up all the juices. This entre is worth trying. Infact, if I had a restaurant (God forbid!) this would be on the menu.
Boneless Pork Rib Chops/4 servings
4 – 5 ounce boneless rib, pork chops, fat trimmed
Pat with dry rub mixed with following ingredients
1 tablespoon Spanish paprika
2-teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon pink salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
Gently rise and pat dry chops. Coat each side of chop with rub mixture. Firmly pat to adhere to chop. Allow to set 30 minutes at room temperature. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Just prior to placing in pan, sprinkle each side of chop with 1/2 teaspoon sugar. This will help brown the chop quickly and nicely compliments the spices used.
Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in sauté pan in medium-high heat. When pan is hot place chops in pan and cover loosely with lid. Cook 4 minutes. Turn chop and cook three minutes uncovered. Remove pan from heat and cover.
Sprouts with Tomato/Maple Sauce
1 pound frozen Brussels sprouts (You may use fresh
Brussels sprouts that are precooked
1 cup diced canned tomatoes, with olive oil and garlic. There
are several brands of these tomatoes on the market.
1/3 cup light maple syrup
S & P to taste
*Optional: toasted pine nuts for garnish
In separate pan heat tomatoes until just warm on medium heat. Add sprouts and cover. Cook 5 minutes, covered.
Add salt and pepper and maple syrup. Stir gently. Lower heat to low and cover while you plate your chops.
Four thin slices on grilled French bread cut on the diagonal.
When plating, place a chop on each plate and a serving of the Brussels sprouts in sauce. Garnish with pine nuts. Serve with slice of grilled bread and enjoy!
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