When I first made these chops, I noted that no, they were not, in fact, fried in cider – more like browned in just a bit of oil, and then braised in a cider and barbecue sauce mixture with ‘shrooms.
Still and all, I thought it a fine recipe that made for a very tasty dinner.
Then, I did my post and promptly forgot about it.
Until…
I was restoring and updating images lost in the transition to the new, improved buzzyfoods.com servers – I am well into 2011 now, folks! – and, coming across the recipe, I thought it high time to try it out again – and this time, I thought I’d try out the center burner on my new(ish) range, all the better to accommodate my kinda huge (5-quart, 13 inch diameter) sauté pan.
Both burner and pan worked a treat, yielding a crowd-sized batch o’ exceptionally tasty and tender chops with a minimum of fuss – tho’ these bone-in chops were so large, I still needed to brown them in batches.
INGREDIENTS
•6 bone-in pork chops
•2 tbsp vegetable oil
•2 cups apple cider
•2 cans sliced ‘shrooms, drained (or, use fresh if you have ’em) – optional
•Seasoned salt
•Black pepper (I like Tellicherry)
•Granulated garlic
•1/2 cup barbecue sauce
Rinse and pat the chops dry, then season with the salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in the pan over medium-high heat, then add the chops – in batches if need be – and cook for five minutes per side, just to brown them nicely. Remove the browned chops to a plate.
Add the drained ‘shrooms to the pan, season with a bit more of the seasoned salt, peppers, and the granulated garlic, and sauté, scraping up some of the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, until any liquid has evaporated and the ‘shrooms are slightly crisped on the edges. If you’re using fresh ‘shrooms, you may need to add a more oil to the pan before adding them.
Add the cider and bring to a boil, scraping up any remaining crispy bits stick to the bottom of the pan.
Simmer for five minutes or so to reduce, then stir in the barbecue sauce.
Add the browned chops, nestling them down into the sauce and spooning some of it over the top.
Cover and braise for about 15 minutes, or until the chops are done and the sauce nicely reduced.
Tasty, tender, and timely chops – made in (mostly) one – admittedly large – pan on top of the stove in a touch under an hour from start to finish.