Hawaiian Pork Chops
I had these at a Trader Vic's restaurant in 1973. They were awesome then and still good now!
I had these at a Trader Vic's restaurant in 1973. They were awesome then and still good now!
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 cup butter -- softened
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper -- freshly ground
- 4 double thick pork chops -- well trimmed
- 2 cups onions -- finely chopped
- 2/3 cup light rum
- 1/2 cup freshly chopped pineapple or drained canned cr
- watercress sprigs
- Carbohydrate 3.0994725 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.0613175 g
- Fiber 1.23697499370575 g
- Protein 1.676415 g
- Saturated Fat 0.08148 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (69g)
- Sodium 12.055352 mg
- Sugar 1.86249750629425 g
- Trans Fat 0.0832650000000003 g
- Calories 111 calories
Step-by-step
- Stir together the butter, salt, mustard, ginger and pepper to form a paste; rub over surfaces of chops.
- In a heavy frying pan over medium heat, brown chops well on both sides; remove from frying pan.
- Add onion to frying pan and saute until well browned.
- Return chops to pan, top with the onions and add rum.
- Cover tightly and bake in 325 F. oven until meat is very tender (about 1-1/2 hours).
- If necessary, add more rum to keep moist.
- Put chops on warm serving platter or plates.
- Stir pineapple into the juices and onions remaining in the pan and heat through.
- Spoon this over the chops and garnish with watercress.
How long do thick cuts actually need to braise before the muscle fibers relax completely? Achieving tenderness in double-thick center cuts requires patience and consistent moisture control inside a heavy-bottomed vessel. Heavy cast iron retains heat efficiently, though a standard stainless steel braiser with a tight-fitting lid works equally well if space on the burner is tight. Spatulas with thin edges help slide browned meat without tearing the seasoned crust formed during initial searing.
- Browning pork properly demands medium heat rather than high flames to prevent the dry mustard and ginger paste from burning prematurely.
- Adding light rum gradually during the ninety-minute bake prevents the pan from scorching while building a rich pan sauce.
- Storing cooked portions in airtight glass containers for up to three days allows the spiced onion flavors to penetrate deeper into the protein.
- Reheating leftovers requires low stovetop heat with an extra splash of water or rum to restore juiciness without overcooking the meat.
Shredding cooled meat yields a savory filling for sandwiches or grain bowls. Acid from fresh pineapple cuts through the rich pork drippings efficiently during final assembly.
