Recipe: Apple Hoisin-Glazed Pork Chops
(c) Michael Piazza
Sometimes it’s fun to explore obscure and ignored cuts of meat; other times, we crave a classic cut like a beautiful, well-raised pork chop. We treat it like a great steak—high heat and flip often—but at about half the price, so you can put the money toward high-quality, sustainably farmed meat. Knowing you’ve got great meat, we’re all about cooking to medium-rare so it’s juicy and pale pink, and not doing too much to it. Our quick version of an apple hoisin sauce gives the pork a touch of sweetness and an intriguingly earthy edge to the charred crust.
Quick Apple Hoisin Ingredients
2 tablespoons applesauce
2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste or tahini
1 tablespoon soy sauce (use tamari if gluten-free)
1 tablespoon black vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
Other Ingredients
Two 6- to 8-ounce (170- to 225-g) bone-in pork rib or blade-end chops, about 1 1⁄2 inches thick
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon (13 g) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
Instructions
Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. You’ll need 1/2 cup total for this recipe. Season the pork chops all over with salt, then place them in a large resealable bag with half of the sauce. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator, reserving the remaining sauce for later.
When you’re ready to cook, remove the chops from the bag and pat with paper towels to remove extra sauce. Heat the oil in a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over high heat until starting to smoke. Using tongs, carefully add the chops to the pan and cook until the bottoms are lightly browned about 1 minute. Flip and brown the other side, then continue to turn once every minute or so until both sides are well browned and lightly charred, 7 to 9 minutes.
Turn down the heat slightly if it is smoking too much. We cook to 130 to 135°F (54 to 57°C) on an instant-read thermometer; go a bit longer if you prefer a more well-done chop. Using tongs, carefully remove the pork chops from the pan and let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Set the remaining sauce on the side for dipping and serve immediately.