Shelly's Recipe

PAN-SEARED, OVEN-ROASTED THICK-CUT PORK CHOPS WITH SPICY CITRUS PAN SAUCE

Category: Pork - Chops and Steaks

Pork Chops
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup kosher salt or 1/4 cup table salt
10 medium cloves garlic , crushed
4 bay leaves , crumbled
8 whole cloves
3 tbsp whole black peppercorns , crushed
4 bone-in rib loin pork chops (12-oz each), 1 1/2-inches-thick
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Sauce
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup lime juice
1 1/2 tsp grated lime zest from 2 limes
1 cup orange juice from 2 large oranges
2 medium cloves garlic , chopped
4 chipotle chiles en adobo
2 tbsp unsalted butter (cold), cut into 2 pieces
Table salt and ground black pepper

For Pork: In gallon-sized zipper-lock plastic bag, dissolve sugar and salt in 2 cups hot water. Add garlic, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, (if using) and 4 cups cold water; cool mixture to room temperature. Add pork chops, then seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible; refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 1 hour, turning bag once. Remove chops from brine and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place shallow roasting pan or jelly-roll pan on oven rack, and heat oven to 450. When oven reaches 450 degrees, heat oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Place chops in skillet; cook until well-browned and nice crust has formed on surface, about 2 minutes. Turn chops over with tongs; cook until well-browned and a nice crust has formed on second side, about 2 minutes longer. Using tongs, transfer chops to preheated pan in oven. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each chop registers 125–127 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes, turning chops over once halfway through cooking time. Transfer each chop to platter; cover loosely with foil (be sure not to wrap foil tightly around meat), and let rest about 5 minutes. (Check internal temperature; it should register about 145 degrees).

For Sauce: In bowl of food processor, puree molasses, lime juice and zest, orange juice, garlic, and chipotle chiles until smooth. Transfer to small bowl; set aside.

Pour off fat from skillet used to brown chops; place skillet over medium-high heat and add molasses mixture, scraping pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Simmer until thickened and syrupy, about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter, one piece at a time; season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with pork chops.