So.
This is kindofa cheater recipe.
I took my regular buttermilk marinade – which is killer for chicken as well – and prepped a couple of nice bone in chops the day before making this dish. And it turned out quite well.
Don’t want to do the whole overnigh buttermilk thing? Fine, try seasoning both sides of the chops with salt and pepper and, well whatever you like, then rub a bit of oil into them and set ’em aside to rest for ten minutes or so before cooking. Should work a treat.
I should also note that I started with a bit of duck fat from the jar in my freezer. No duck fat? Bummer, but peanut oil – or your own personal fave – will work, too.
INGREDIENTS
•Bone in pork chops
•Sliced ‘shrooms
•2-3 large shallots thinly sliced
•2 cloves finely minced garlic (2 tsp)
•1/2 tsp dried thyme
•1/2 cup brandy
•1 cup heavy cream
•Chicken or veggie stock
•Duck fat and/or cooking oil or butter
•Black pepper
•1 tsp Aleppo pepper
•1 tsp seasoned salt
Melt the duck fat or warm the oil in a large pan over medium high heat, then add the chops – if you’ve used the buttermilk marinade, shake off the excess marinade as you pull the chops out of the bag – and cook for about six minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chops.
When the chops are nicely browned and cooked to 160º, remove from the pan and stash on a covered platter in a warm oven while you make the brandy and ‘shroom sauce.
Add a bit more duck fat, or just go with butter, to the pan and add the sliced ‘shrooms and cook until they are golden brown, have released their cooking liquid, and had it cooked off, mebbe ten minutes.
Add the garlic, shallots, and thyme and cook another three minutes or so, until nicely fragrant.
Add the brandy and deglaze the pan, scraping up any of those tasty dark bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Reduce the heat, stir in the heavy cream, and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened.
Stir in the stock – mebbe 1/2 to one cup – until the sauce is the consistency you like.
Give it a taste, then season with salt and black pepper.
Go ahead, toss in a bit of Aleppo pepper too, if you have any (you really should).
Pull the chops out of the oven and serve with the sauce. We had ours with broccoli and buttered noodles, tho’ smashed potatoes would be nice here, too.
I also mebbe wouldn’t say “no” to a nice dab o’ good blue cheese on top, but that’s just me; you do what you like.