Sunday, March 27, 2011

2day's recipe: Pork Chops with Pepper Jelly Sauce

For those of you that don't know it I was raised in the south, eastern NC to be exact.  I was lucky enough to be around a lot of great cooks and farming.  My great grandparents practically lived off their land.  It was so cool because I had a city mouse grandmother and a country mouse grandmother.  Very different, but sometimes the same.  


Like, a staple in country mouse's kitchen was Pepper Jelly.  Now, if you have never tried pepper jelly, you need to find it and give it try.  In country mouse's kitchen, hot peppers were every where, in everything like our famous pepper vinegar for BBQ here in the south and even as decoration in the kitchen.  


Pepper jelly was in also in city mouse's kitchen, just used differently.  Like at a casual bridge game... served over cream cheese.. OMG!  It is the best thing ever!  I love it.  


I have been looking for ways in cooking to use more pepper jelly.  I thought I would share a recipe today that uses pepper jelly and wine, two of my favorite staples in my kitchen.  
Enjoy!




Pork Chops With Pepper Jelly Sauce   



Ingredients
4 (3/4-inch-thick) bone-in pork loin chops (about 2 1/4 lb.)
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons butter divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 large jalapeño pepper seeded and minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup red pepper jelly

 
Instructions1. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter with oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops, and cook 8 minutes; turn and cook 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 150°. Remove from skillet, and keep warm.
2. Add flour and jalapeño to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until flour is golden brown. Add wine, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet; cook 1 minute or until almost completely reduced.
3. Add chicken broth, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Whisk in pepper jelly until melted and smooth. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. butter. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Return pork to skillet; turn to coat. Serve pork with sauce.

Yields: 4 Servings

Source - I believe this came from Southern Living (of course!)