Easy, Juicy Pork Chops

Being a child of the 80s, I am naturally terrified of meat. Every food expert back then instructed home cooks to kill the nasty, deadly pathogens by cooking all meats (especially chicken & pork) to a specific germ-blasting temperature. Having no thermometer at the time, I took that advice to mean "just cook the heck out of it." Results were consistently bad--my meat dishes were dry, tough, and flavorless. They still tend that way, to be honest. But I'm slowly improving.

Rules have relaxed a little in the past couple decades, and a few recommended temperatures have been lowered. But most important, I got myself an instant-read thermometer that I use religiously. Here's one of the first meat recipes I conquered. I've shared it with Natalie a few times, and I'm including it here so we can both refer to it.

Warning! Some of the meat will remain pink. I have to repress the urge to keep cooking. Trust your thermometer (assuming it's trustworthy.... mwahh ha ha ha!).

Easy, Juicy Pork Chops
recipe source: Cook's Illustrated magazine, premiere issue

4 bone-in pork rib or center-cut chops, about 7 ounces each and 1/2 to 3/4" thick
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
salt and ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Prepare chops: Cut two slits about 2 inches apart through fat and tissue on side of each chop (prevents curling). Pat them dry with paper towels. Rub both sides with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each chop evenly with 1/8 teaspoon sugar, avoiding the bone.

Place chops, sugared-side down, in a cold 12-inch nonstick skillet. Using hands, press meat of each chop into pan. Set skillet over medium heat. (Chops should start sizzling after 2 minutes.) Cook until lightly browned, 4 to 9 minutes. 

Flip chops. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low and cook until center of each chop registers 140˚F, 2 to 6 minutes. Chops will barely brown on the second side. (Insert thermometer horizontally through the side, not up and down.)

Remove to a platter and tent with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes. Do not discard liquid in skillet.

After 5 minutes of rest, add any accumulated juices on platter to the skillet. Set skillet over high heat and simmer vigorously until reduced to 3 tablespoons, just about a minute. Adjust taste with salt and pepper. Take skillet off heat and return pork chops, turning them to coat with the reduced sauce. Serve, browned side up, pouring juices over top.

serves 4.

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds

Link

I discovered this recipe a few years ago. In a word, Yum! Best as an after-school snack on a chilly autumn day but great any time.

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
adapted from Cooks Illustrated Magazine Nov Dec 2008

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about six evenly sized, 2-3" diameter), peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste (1/8 teaspoon)
up to 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, if desired

Slice peeled sweet potatoes into 3/4-inch rounds. Place into a bowl, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to completely coat.

Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with a layer of aluminum foil. (I use a 12x18 sheet cake pan.) Coat with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange potatoes in an even layer. Using a second sheet of foil, cover the potatoes tightly.

Place pan in a cold oven and turn oven to 425˚F. Bake 30 minutes. Remove top layer of foil. 

Return to the oven and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, until bottom of potatoes are golden brown. (Lift with a spatula to check underneath.) Remove from oven and flip over each potato slice. Return to the oven, baking 12-15 minutes more until other side browns. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before eating.

Note: I place the cooked rounds on a rack to cool to help maintain crisp exteriors. Interiors should be creamy. They do improve in flavor if you can hold off eating them until they cool to room temperature. 

Katie's Marshmallow Brownies

Originally called Connie's Marshmallow Brownies (after mom's friend Connie Simmons), these brownies have earned a new name in our family. Katie makes these at least twice a month, and they're always delicious--especially the next day. Cousin Cindy Glad told me just the other day that Grandma LaPriel Walter made these too! I was sooo happy to learn that, but three names are just too many. I'm calling these Katie's.

Katie's Marshmallow Brownies

1 1/2 cup margarine or butter

1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp of cocoa

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 cup nuts, optional

1 bag of mini marshmallows

Cream butter, cocoa and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Then gradually add flour, vanilla and nuts. Pour into greased sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes. Remove from oven and add marshmallows over top of baked crust. Return to oven and bake an additional 4-5 minutes until marshmallows are puffy and barely turning gold. They should not turn brown. Cool and frost.

Frosting:

1/3 cup margarine or butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla

Mix well and spread evenly over cooled brownies.

Shasta BBQ Sauce

A simple family favorite since an extended family trip to Lake Shasta in the 80s. Someone made this sauce (mom? Mamoo? Dorothy?) to serve over BBQ chicken, and it became an instant classic. Whenever we make it (which is often--there's always a container in the fridge), my mind is flooded with memories of that trip so long ago: lots of water skiing, trying unsuccessfully to slalom, and at least one riding adventure with a horse named "Bucketmouth." Anyone else have a particular memory?

Shasta BBQ Sauce

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup water (optional)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoon molasses

2-3 tablespoon woody's BBQ concentrate


Whisk all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until sauce becomes smooth. Taste to adjust ingredients. Always safe to double.

Crispy Coconut Chicken with Piña Colada Sauce

My family makes this every Christmas Eve. Try it. You'll love it!

Crispy Coconut Chicken 

1 cup flaked coconut

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into large chunks if desired.

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 400˚F. In a shallow dish, combine first five ingredients. In a separate shallow dish, lightly beat the egg. Pour melted butter into a baking sheet pan and spread evenly. Dip chicken pieces into egg then dredge through the dry ingredients, pressing and tapping firmly so that seasonings adhere. Place on prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until done, turning once halfway through cooking. 

Piña Colada Sauce 

1/2 cup Coco Lopez

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup water

2 Tbsp. crushed pineapple, drained

1 Tbsp. sweetened coconut flakes

3 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. powdered sugar

1 + 1/2 tsp. corn starch

3 tsp. cold water

Mix Coco Lopez, pineapple juice, water, crushed pineapple, coconut, and powdered sugar in a saucepan. Heat on medium low temp. until sauce begins to simmer, stirring frequently. Let mixture simmer slowly 10 to 12 min. Mix corn starch and water together; add to sauce and blend well. Let mixture simmer for 3 to 5 min. longer while stirring during and after adding cornstarch. Remove from heat and bring to room temperature.

Bonus! Here's another sauce option:

Apricot Sauce
1 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Combine and mix until smooth consistency.