Braised pork chops

[cew]

i followed a recipe from the nyt two weeks ago (amanda hesser recipe accompanying riesling article), which calls for dusting the chops in spices, searing, pouring in wine, chix broth, garlic etc., and into a low oven (325) for an hour. i halved the meat and spices and reduced the liquid somewhat. by the end of the hour, the liquid had cooked away (leaving a sticky black residue on the bottom of the pan) and the chops were definitely overcooked (not completely inedible, but drier than i like). so, obviously, i should have checked on them earlier. but why didn't the recipe work? was my oven too hot? is an hour just too long to braise pork chops? do two chops cook faster than four? was there not enough liquid in the pan? what should i do differently next time? thanks for your help.

[guajolote]

Braising pork chops for an hour after browning seems like an awfully long time to me. I also don't think braising is how I would cook a pork chop in the first place, since there is little fat or connective tissue. Were they 1 bone or two bone chops? I usually cook my chops to an internal temp of 150 degrees F, FDA be damned.

Edit: Klink and I had converging brainwaves?

Edited February 28, 2003 by guajolote (log)

[col klink]

I've found that such lean cuts as the chop don't do well with braising. Shoulders do much better due to all of its beautiful marbling. If you do decide to braise use a meat thermometer and pull at 150 for medium doneness. You can easily go as high as 160 if you're a little squeamish. 325F for an hour is WAY too long for chops, regardless of thickness.

edit: yes, converging brains!

Edited February 28, 2003 by col klink (log)

[elyse]

Id also say it may have something to do with the size of the pan. Say they call for four chops in a 10x10" pan (no real relation to the recipe, as I haven't seen it) and you lessen the chops AND the liquid, there'll be more surface space for the liquid to evaporate. I think if you have more surface, you should increase the liquid, if only by using water. And two chops do cook faster than four. The fewer pieces, the more intense the heat. More pieces, more heat distribution. Did you cover the pan? Did they taste good? Hope this helps.

[Suzanne F]

I'm with Elyse on this: too large a pan means more surface area, and a less-deep layer of liquid. Also, did you, um, cover the pan?

[Wilfrid]

Pork chops can be tenderized and much improved by a few hours in a marinade, however you intend to cook them.

[newguy]

Even though you halved the amount of meat, you probaby shouldn't have reduced the amount of liquid in the recipe. 4 pork chops and 2 pork chops are equally as high in the pot, so the amount of liquid should stay constant regardless of the amount of product in the pan.

[torakris]

I'm with the not enough liquid in the pan faction.

[Bashful3]

This doesn't answer your question, but my latest fling with pork chops is to bread them; egg; seasoned crumbs. Brown in a skillet. Add a little beef broth; simmer, maybe half an hour. So much juicier than if they hadn't been breaded.

[cew]

thank you so much for your advice! i did suspect from the beginning that an hour was too long (and yes i kept the lid on). i was a vegetarian for years and years so i am just learning to cook meat. i never understood before what to do about the liquid when reducing the amount of meat in a recipe, but now i know, thank you. bashful3, do you make your own beef broth or is there some kind of acceptable commercial product? doesn't the breading get soggy from sitting in the broth for 30 minutes?

[elyse]

Mmmmmm... soggy breadding sitting in brrrooooth.

[newguy]

Rule of thumb when braising is to keep the liquid at approximately 1/2 - 3/4 the height of the product. so it doesn't matter if you have 2 pork chops or 16, as long as they are all on the bottom of the pan in an even layer, the same amount of liquid will go into the pot.

[sng sling]

An idea mentioned in other threads is to brine the chops (1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 qts water) for a couple hours before cooking. Similar to the marinade idea, but more neutral flavor.

From somewhere (Cooks Illustrated?) I also got into the habit of only lightly browning the chops and then braising them at a reasonably low heat so that you could just barely hear them simmering/sizzling in the covered saute pan.

Hope this helps...

[Kerouac1964]

A similar effect could be had by marinading in you choice of liquids, spices and then steaming. Steaming will keep things tender forever.

I've done hamhocks for hours and hours and have been able to actually eat the grisly parts, as they tenderize over time. Also the marrow comes out and makes a great little dipping sauce for the meat.

[cew]

Rule of thumb when braising is to keep the liquid at approximately 1/2 - 3/4 the height of the product.  so it doesn't matter if you have 2 pork chops or 16, as long as they are all on the bottom of the pan in an even layer, the same amount of liquid will go into the pot.

what about aromatics (garlic, ginger, celery, carrot, whatever)? do i reduce them (so as not to overwhelm the lesser amount of meat) or not (so as not to have a bland broth)? everyone's suggestions are wonderful; i will try them and report back.

[Suzanne F]

I'd probably keep them close to the same amount, or reduce slightly. After all, unless you're using first-rate, carefully raised, really flavorful meat, it will need all the help it can get. Besides, sometimes the meat is less important than the GRAVY in which case you want to make a good gravy with a little meat in it.

[elyse]

Agreed.

[BrentKulman]

Recently, I had the twice slow cooked double prok chop entree at Bistro JeanRo in Cincinnati. The pork chop was as tender as BBQ and could be pulled apart with a fork. I asked how it was cooked and was told that it was baked all day at low temperature and then wrapped in foil and steamed. It was finished with light, apple influenced sauce (not sweet) and then served over baked apples and endive.

I'm trying to figure out how to re-create this dish at home.

Anybody have any ideas as to the cooking technique involved? I'm curious, in particular, about the baking temperature, how to treat the pork prior to baking, and the basting technique. The whole steaming element leaves me scratching my head.

Sauce ideas would also be welcomed.