Wow, I May Have Made Something Yum by Accident
I bought some pork sirloin chops because they were a good deal. I had an idea to make something vaguely Tex-Mex, and this is what I came up with.
I bought some pork sirloin chops because they were a good deal. I had an idea to make something vaguely Tex-Mex, and this is what I came up with.
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 pounds thin cut pork sirloin pounded flat
- 1 cup fryin' magic coating mix
- 1 small sweet onion thinly sliced
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomato tuttorosso w basil
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 3 teaspoons green tabasco
- 2 tablespoons ground chipotle
- 3 tablespoons seedless blackberry jam
- Carbohydrate 18.6490759487188 g
- Cholesterol 130.02985 mg
- Fat 21.2591381072093 g
- Fiber 2.0363237929973 g
- Protein 46.8719468829311 g
- Saturated Fat 5.73739639672648 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (269g)
- Sodium 684.616813220507 mg
- Sugar 16.6127521557214 g
- Trans Fat 1.95841686220362 g
- Calories 458 calories
Step-by-step
- I enlisted my son to pound the chps flat with metal meat tenderizer (between plastic wrap). Thanks, Sean
- Combine coating mix with garlic salt & black pepper, in large skillet or dutch oven, heat oil to medium-high. Lightly bread each chop, then place in skillet, leaving room so pan isn't crowded. Pan-fry all chops until very light brown on both sides, remove to paper towels to drain.
- Set Crocpot or Slow Cooker to low.
- Place chops in a layer (1 deep)' then season with chipotle and cover with 1/3 of the onion slices, repeat for the second layer.
- Pour crushed tomato over all, then add tabasco and honey. Cover and cook overnight untouched.
- In morning, turn off crockpot, and using tongs, pull cooked meat apart to blend ingedients.
- Stir in black rasberry jam** and mix well.
- Serve hot and you would any other "pulled pork"
Starting the overnight cook without pre-searing the onions allows their sulfur compounds to mellow entirely into the surrounding tomato puree over eight to twelve hours on low heat. Lean cuts like thin-cut pork sirloin lack the internal fat networks of shoulder roasts, meaning they require careful handling to prevent complete dryness during extended simmering. When pan-frying the breaded meat initially, maintain the canola oil at medium-high heat until a very light golden crust forms, which protects the interior proteins from seizing up prematurely in the slow cooker.
Chemical Reactions in the Pot
Acidity from the 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes acts as a tenderizer by denaturing tough muscle fibers, while ground chipotle powder delivers fat-soluble capsaicin that disperses evenly throughout the simmering liquid. Sweetness is introduced via blackberry jam and honey to counteract the sharp heat of green Tabasco sauce, balancing the overall flavor profile through contrasting pH and sugar levels. Because pork sirloin has minimal intramuscular fat, shredding the meat directly into the warm braising juices allows the dry muscle strands to rehydrate fully before serving.Reheating and Storage
Leftovers stored in an airtight container within the refrigerator maintain their structural integrity for up to four days, and the residual sauce thickens considerably as starches from the coating mix cool. Reheat portions gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of water to restore the glossy consistency of the tomato and jam reduction without scorching the remaining sugars.
