I have often leafed through the recipe book book and contemplated making these. However, for the longest time my husband would not eat pork chops. I think he was traumatized by the tasteless rubbery pork chops he ate as a child. However, we have recently begun buying excellent pork chops so he is happy to eat them now. I was pleased to see this recipe chosen.
I bought Iowa cut rib chops from my butcher, they were about 1 inch thick. The Iowa cut is a thick center cut. I used dried sage and garlic powder on the chops instead of fresh because I was worried that the fresh stuff would burn. The chops themselves smelled and tasted wonderful. I will definitely use this flavor combination in pork chops again. Usually when I cook pork chops I coat them with flour, salt & pepper, fry them up with a little bit of oil on both sides and finish them in the oven. I prefer this method over finishing them on the stove-top in the slaw and broth. The slaw was better after it was cooked with the pork, so I understand why it was recommended in this particular application. I was pleased that the recipe did not call for cooking the pork well done as the USDA and all those trichinosis scardy cats would have you do. I usually cook my pork chops to about 150F and then let them rest for 10 minutes before eating. This way they cook up tender with just a tinge of pinkness.
Truth be told, I could live without the slaw. I found the cider vinegar to be a bit overpowering. Perhaps some regular apple cider would be better. I was also hoping for something that had a stronger apple flavor. In addition, I did not find Ellie’s instructions on how to chop the slaw vegetables helpful. In fact, the recipe in the book differs from the link on the Food Network in that regard. In the book it says to coarsely shred the apples, cabbage, and carrots. On the Food Network recipe, it says to thinly slice the apples and cabbage, and julienne the carrots. (I did end up julienning the carrots anyway with my nifty julienne peeler.) It seems to me that the instructions on the Food Network are better.
Normally when I make pork chops I just roast up some apples in the oven or make some fresh applesauce. I enjoy both of those better than this slaw, and they are both easier to make. To accompany this meal I blanched and then sautéed some brocollini in husbands roasted garlic & basil infused olive oil. Simple and tasty.
Now, those are some good looking pork chops.
At this point, a lovely pork and sage aroma filled my whole apartment (all 800 square feet of it – we chose location over space here in our nation’s capital)
The meat thermometer is your friend.
Yum, brocollini is my new favorite vegetable. I found it by accident when I was making this.