Cooking pork chops the "Cook's Illustrated" way

[ingridsf]

I don't know why there's a lack of comment but I love CI. That doesn't mean it doesn't bug me on occasion. For a magazine so pronouncedly free of advertising, they aren't exactly radical when it comes to balancing taste, economic and environmental needs. I just hate to see the Tyson/Con-Agra/Phillip Morris Axis of EEEECH continue their dastardly vertical integration schemes. Ah well, apparently CI is comfortable with food science but not food politics.

Maybe they see it as a food snob vs. average jane thing. It's certainly an old debate, Is technique more important than ingredient quality in good cooking? I'm a West Coaster and pretty lazy so you can guess where I stand.

That said, the March 2004 issue had some valuable Good News About Pork that I appreciated. Their technique for cooking porkchops low and slow really works. We tested it no less than 3 times and they were all goooood eatin'.

Edited February 23, 2004 by ingridsf (log)

[Anna N]

I also tried the pork chop method and it did, indeed, produce tasty chops that remained juicy. I have learned a great deal from this magazine and often refer to back copies.

[Arey]

I liked the pork chop recipe too (and I come from a long line of cooks who turn pork chops into a nearly indestructible substitute for leather shoe soles), but I have a few questions. When the recipe says that those of us with electric stoves should set the stove to medium do they mean before or after putting the pan with the pork chops on the burner. The directions to turn the stove on come before the directions for placing the pork chops in the pan.

Secondly, is there any way to tell just how hot an electric stove's burners are? I can achieve a very nice simmer on my stove, but unless boiling something (think of the stove dial as a clock with HI at 1 and Lo at 11) I rarely use the settings from 1 to 6, and even when boiling, I turn the stove down to 3, once it's boiling. Using 7, the pork shops were sizzling in a minutes time, and then I moved them to the back burner which I had set at 10, which, for my stove, produces a true simmer.

I am totally frustrated by recipes, usually ones for stir frying, that say to set your stove on medium high, and cook the minced garlic and ginger for a minute or two until it's softened and fragrant. On medium-high, my stove burners incinerate anything I put on them.

[srhcb]

I liked the pork chop recipe too (and I come from a long line of cooks who turn pork chops into a nearly indestructible substitute for leather shoe soles), but I have a few questions. When the recipe says that those of us with electric stoves should set the stove to medium do they mean before or after putting the pan with the pork chops on the burner.  The directions to turn the stove on come before the directions for placing the pork chops in the pan.

Secondly, is there any way to tell just how hot  an electric stove's  burners are? I can achieve a very nice simmer on my stove, but unless boiling something (think of the stove dial as a clock with HI at 1 and Lo at 11) I rarely use the settings from 1 to 6, and even when boiling, I turn the stove down to 3, once it's boiling. Using 7, the pork shops were sizzling in a minutes time, and then I moved them to the back burner which I had set at 10, which, for my stove,  produces a true simmer.

I am totally frustrated by recipes, usually ones for stir frying, that say to set your stove on medium high, and cook the minced garlic and ginger for a minute or two until it's softened and fragrant.  On medium-high, my stove burners  incinerate anything I put on them.

In general, unless otherwise stated, you always preheat the pan on the burner before putting the food in.

The big advantage of gas ranges is the instant, infinite heat adjustment. On an electric range, you have to anticipate your next moves.

Every burner on every electric range heats somewhat differently. Only with practice will you really get comfortable with your own. Consider the "Low, Med, High" or "1, 5, 10" on the knobs just to be general indicators, not actual temperature settings. Then turn the heat up or down to achieve whatever effect you desire.

One trick is to always use the same burner for the same task. ie: I always fry on my RF burner, make rice on the LF, and boil pasta on the LR.

Practice makes perfect, or at least edible!

SB

[PoorLawyer]

In general, unless otherwise stated, you always preheat the pan on the burner before putting the food in.

I believe this receipe actually called for a cold pan to start it off

[srhcb]

In general, unless otherwise stated, you always preheat the pan on the burner before putting the food in. 

I believe this receipe actually called for a cold pan to start it off

I don't get CI anymore so I wasn't familiar with the recipe, but I suspected that sounded like something they might try.

Do they let the chops sit in the pan at room temp before heating, or does the pan sit in the refrigerator with the chops in it? Did they brine the chops first?

Brining, especially of pork, is one practice I observe in large part due to CI's influence.

[Arey]

In general, unless otherwise stated, you always preheat the pan on the burner before putting the food in. 

I believe this receipe actually called for a cold pan to start it off

I don't get CI anymore so I wasn't familiar with the recipe, but I suspected that sounded like something they might try.

Do they let the chops sit in the pan at room temp before heating, or does the pan sit in the refrigerator with the chops in it? Did they brine the chops first?

Brining, especially of pork, is one practice I observe in large part due to CI's influence.

None of the above, which is why I was left wondering should I turn the burner on after I put the pan with the pork chops on it?

I can't ask them directly, since I refuse, as a matter of principal, to subscribe to their website. I expect C. Kimball would applaud my principals on the one hand and deplore them on the other.

Oh yes, this recipe was supposed to enable you to make 20 minute porkchops (the title was Juicy Weeknight Pork Chops) without brining.

Edited February 24, 2004 by Arey (log)

[srhcb]

I can't ask them directly, since I refuse, as a matter of principal, to subscribe to their website.  I expect C. Kimball would applaud my principals on the one hand and deplore them on the other.

Oh yes, this recipe was supposed to enable you to make 20 minute porkchops (the title was Juicy Weeknight Pork Chops) without brining.

An odd aside. Last night when I got home I found a complimentary condensed copy of the latest CI in my mail. It didn't include the pork chop recipe though.

I was of half a mind to re-subscribe but your post reminded me why I let the subscription lapse to begin with.

There often seemed to be something missing from their recipes. I've used many of them quite successfully, but others don't even come close to working. I even bought Kimball's "Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook" and end up giving it away.

Putting the chops in a cold pan would seem to imply taking a pan out of the cupboard, setting it on a burner, taking the pork chops out of the refrigerator, unwrapping them, and setting them in the pan and turning on the heat to Medium?

Perhaps somebody who used the method successfully will enlighten us, but I can't see the point. If you don't have time to properly prepare a dish, why not make something else?

SB (missing something here)

[ellencho]

I tried this method and what they want you to do is literally take a cold pan out of your cupboard, and place your cold pork chop on it, and then turn your heat onto low. After it sits on low for 4-9 minutes you give your chop a flip and give a couple more minutes for your chop to cook on medium (If I remember correctly, I don't have my issue here with me at work). Then you remove the chop, reduce the liquid in the pan and voila you've got a tender pork chop.

If you have an electric stove then place your cold pan/chop onto medium.

[PoorLawyer]

Yeah I dont have it in front of me, but the basic point was to keep it really juicy since pork doesn't have any natural fat anymore. I guess the cold pan method worked well....only drawback was that it doesn't look very pretty because it doesn't get a nice sear on it.

[srhcb]

I guess the cold pan method worked well....only drawback was that it doesn't look very pretty because it doesn't get a nice sear on it.

A microwave can accomplish that even quicker?

[Anna N]

I guess the cold pan method worked well....only drawback was that it doesn't look very pretty because it doesn't get a nice sear on it.

A microwave can accomplish that even quicker?

The smell of pork cooking in the microwave almost put me off pork forever!

In fairness to CI, one step not yet mentioned in this thread is the use of a tiny pinch of sugar on the side of the chops that will go into the cold pan. This tiny bit of sugar did not affect the taste as far as I could notice but did allow for a nice colour on that that side of the chops. Since it is almost impossible now, at least where I live, to find supermarket pork that has not been "pre-seasoned" this is a very acceptable way to make the best of what you can get.

[srhcb]

In fairness to CI, one step not yet mentioned in this thread is the use of a tiny pinch of sugar on the side of the chops that will go into the cold pan. This tiny bit of sugar did not affect the taste as far as I could notice but did allow for a nice colour on that that side of the chops. Since it is almost impossible now, at least where I live, to find supermarket pork that has not been "pre-seasoned" this is a very acceptable way to make the best of what you can get.

Pork that's "pre-seasoned"? I'm fortunate to have a butcher that I can watch cut my chops to order, so I'm kind enough not to do them the injustice of "quick and easy" preparation.

I do add some sugar to my brine to help pork brown though.

I agree that for some reason pork produces an odd oder in the microwave, but you don't have to eat the smell, and my dogs sure are attracted to it!

SB (Dave, my butcher, is ironicly a former professional rodeo bull rider who I imagine gets some vicarious revenge from cutting meat)

[chardgirl]

I do subscribe to CI and use the recipes often, making substitutions instead of running to the store. However my kitchen mate finds the lack of attitude unappealing. He'll take a snotty chef cook book with lots of opinions anyday!