One food I always had trouble cooking was pork chops. They usually tasted good, but they never failed to be tougher than the soles of my shoes. After years of failed recipes, not to mention embarrassment, I finally took matters in hand and created this recipe.
Like all the menus posted here, this has been prepared many times for tough critics and has always been well received. Give it a try and, please, let me know how your critics respond.
Grilled Bone-in Thick Pork Chops
Boiled Potatoes
Steamed Asparagus
White Wine
Grilled Bone-In Pork Chops
- 2 – 1¼ to 1½” pork chops
- 1 cup olive oil maybe a little more
- ¼ cup white wine
- 4 sage leaves or 1 tbsp. dried sage
- 6 thyme sprigs or ½ tbsp. dried thyme
- 2 gloves garlic pressed or chopped fine
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Combine all ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl. Set in the refrigerator for 2 -3 hours.
- Remove chops from the refrigerator 1 hour before grilling.
- Grease grill grates with olive oil. Preheat grill to medium-high.
- Grill chops 7 minutes per side.
- Tent with aluminum foil. Let rest 5 – 7 minutes so the juices stay within the chops, then serve.
Boiled Potatoes
- 2 – 3 small red potatoes per person
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf or 1 tbsp. dried basil
- Tap water
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Butter to taste
In a medium size saucepan add chicken stock and your preferred herb. Peel potatoes, rinse, slice in thirds, and then place into pot. Add tap water to cover the potatoes by about an inch or so. Too much water and the potatoes will be soggy. Not enough and they’ll be raw on the sections above the water.
Cover the pot and heat on medium until the potatoes come to a boil. Adjust the heat and/or the lid to maintain a decent boil, but not a hard one, until potatoes are fork tender. It takes about 15 minutes after they begin to boil.
Drain and return potatoes to pot. Discard bay leaf. Stir in butter and pepper before you serve.
Steamed Asparagus
- 1 bunch asparagus
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup dry vermouth
- Tap water
- 2 tbsp butter
- Metal vegetable steamer
Add chicken stock and dry vermouth to a medium size saucepan. Insert vegetable steamer. Carefully add tap water to just below the bottom holes.
Trim the stem end of the asparagus to fit your saucepan. Lay them in the pan and cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat, adjusting the heat to a strong simmer. In 4-5 minutes the asparagus should be crisp tender.
Lay asparagus in a serving bowl. Spread butter over them and serve.
