I’ve never felt nostalgic or had idealized memories about pork chops. Pork chops were a dinner to endure. They were thin, hard cardboard imitations of meat often served with a side of applesauce. I carried this opinion into adulthood, content to never eat pork chops again. My husband, always willing to order whatever the server suggests, discovered a juicy, thick steak of a chop in a local restaurant. A revelation! It was wonderful. We ate there for the sole purpose of enjoying the perfect pork chop.
After the restaurant closed, we feared our pork chop days were behind us, but we rallied and learned to make exceptional pork at home. Not just chops, but roasts, barbecued pulled pork, and the Mexican ambrosia called carnitas.
We’ll start sharing recipes soon, but in the meantime, here’s more good news about pork:
- Buy whole pork loin and cut your own boneless chops and roasts, especially when they are on sale. The savings are significant.
- Boston butt sounds ridiculous, but the fat-to-meat ratio makes ideal pulled pork.
- Pork is a slow-cooker friendly meat.
- According to the USDA site, it is no longer necessary to cook pork to a well-done temperature (and if you figure out a way to convince your mom, let us know).
- Pull a pork roast out of the oven when a meat thermometer reads 145 degrees. Tent foil over the roast and let it rest for ten minutes before serving. The roast will rise to a temperature of about 150, perfect for eating.
- Brining is the best thing that has ever happened to pork. Don’t be scared off by the concept. It’s really just putting the meat in a ziplock with a salt/sugar/water solution and letting it sit for an hour. There are several great tweaks that can be made in the brine to enhance flavor like garlic, spices, lemon juice, or vinegar. Laura wrote an explanation and recipe a while back, you can check it out here.
-JB