Courier Cookbook Pork Chops

Pork chops are always a crowd favorite. Whether lightly flavored with thyme or covered in barbeque sauce, the trick to a good pork chop is the quality of the chop you buy. Enjoy these local favorites for a special get together or a regular weekday meal. Protein and flavor packed every time.

Butterflied Pork Chops

Submitted by Karen Sherlock

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 pork chops (1/2 inch thick), trimmed

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced

2 medium onions, sliced

3 cubes beef bouillon

3/4 cup hot water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Coat the pork chops with flour, and place in the skillet. Brown about 4 minutes on each side.

2. In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 the Parmesan cheese mixture over the pork chops. Layer chops with the potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese mixture. Top with onion slices.

3. In a small bowl, dissolve the beef bouillon cubes in hot water. Stir in the lemon juice. Pour over the layered pork chops.

4. Cover skillet, and reduce heat. Simmer 40 minutes, until vegetables are tender and pork chops have reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

Thyme Pork Chops

Submitted by David Clark

Ingredients:

2 pork chops, cut ¾ inch thick

2 Tbsp. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried thyme)

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

3 cups cauliflower florets

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil

Fresh basil, flat leaf parsley and/or chives

Directions:

1. Trim fat from pork chops.

2. In a small bowl, combine thyme, 1/8 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Sprinkle over pork chops on both sides and set aside.

3. Coat a large skillet with ½ Tbsp. olive oil. Preheat over medium-high heat.

4. Add cauliflower and onion, cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes.

5. Push vegetables to the side of the pan. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to pan and place pork chops in pan so they are not touching each other.

6. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until pork chops are 160 degrees. Flip pork chops so they brown evenly and stir vegetables regularly.

7. Remove from pan, plate and sprinkle with additional herbs, if desired.

Pork Chops with Apples and Shallots

Submitted by Karen Sherlock

Ingredients:

cooking spray

3 large shallots, thinly sliced

1 large Gala or Granny Smith apple, halved, cored and thinly sliced

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 bone-in, center-cut pork loin chops

2/3 cup barbecue sauce, such as original or hot Bone Suckin' Sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF.

2. Lightly grease a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

3. Layer shallots and apples in dish, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

5. Season pork chops with salt and pepper and cook, flipping once, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Arrange pork chops on top of shallots and apples.

6. Pour half of the barbecue sauce over the top.

7. Place dish in the oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 375ºF. Bake for 15 minutes, then spoon remaining barbecue sauce over the top and bake until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the pork chops registers 160ºF to 165ºF, about 15 minutes more.

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