Pork Chop & Tomatoes
The title says it all. Hearty and straightforward. This was dinner on the first night of Edible Menu's existence so I thought it only fitting to incorporate it into the blog. This dish is amazingly flavorful and can essentially be made with only three ingredients; pork, onion, and tomato; but of course we'll throw in some salt, pepper, mustard, garlic, lemon, and scallions because we can!
The title says it all. Hearty and straightforward. This was dinner on the first night of Edible Menu's existence so I thought it only fitting to incorporate it into the blog. This dish is amazingly flavorful and can essentially be made with only three ingredients; pork, onion, and tomato; but of course we'll throw in some salt, pepper, mustard, garlic, lemon, and scallions because we can!
- Carbohydrate 68.34448 g
- Cholesterol 137.31 mg
- Fat 32.68676 g
- Fiber 10.3756001752615 g
- Protein 53.84668 g
- Saturated Fat 8.302066 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (726g)
- Sodium 2124.74 mg
- Sugar 57.9688798247385 g
- Trans Fat 3.876504 g
- Calories 764 calories
Step-by-step
- Start with a thick, center-cut pork chop. Season with sea salt and crack pepper, then rub with dry mustard. Sprinkling with a touch of lemon juice and letting it sit out for 30 minutes will help add a nice zest as well. Render the fat side first, then sear each side for a few minutes (taking care not to burn the mustard powder).
- Sweat about half an onion and a touch of garlic until transluscent and aromatic. Add in your tomatoes and simmer covered for about 12 minutes.
- If you know how to peel tomatoes (concasse), it is recommended, but canned stewed tomatoes work just as well for this recipe. If you need to, remove your pork when the desired temperature has been reached and hold warm while continuing to reduce the tomatoes. Spoon the tomatoes over the pork and garnish with fresh cut scallions.
While standard pork preparations rely on heavy cream sauces, this acidic tomato variation uses natural fruit sugars and reduction to balance the protein's richness.
- Render the thick fat cap on medium-low heat before searing the main surfaces, ensuring the exterior browns evenly without overcooking the center.
- Coat the meat with dry mustard powder sparingly; mustard burns rapidly at high temperatures, turning bitter if exposed to excessive direct heat.
- Store leftover portions in an airtight glass container for up to three days, allowing the pork to absorb additional moisture from the tomato base during refrigeration.
- Substitute fresh Roma tomatoes for canned varieties by scoring the skins and blanching them in boiling water for 30 seconds before peeling, though cooking times will increase to compensate for lower initial moisture content.
Reheat leftovers gently in a covered skillet over low heat to prevent the lean pork protein from tightening. Add a splash of water if the tomato reduction thickens past the desired consistency during storage.
