I cooked some'en:Cuban Pork Chops

JLOCKHART29

Well since I am with out a job for the next couple months might as well eat good! First things first. Time to find the DP'S Smoke Shack and Lounge official unemployment beer. Been buying six packs the last month of cheap beer to see which gives the best taste/bang for the buck. Saved two from each sixer for the taste off. Tonights contestants are: Bud Ice at $3.65 a six, Natural Lite at $3.10 and Bush at $3.65 a six.


Really like bottles but must say the Bush is a little to skunkie even with a bottle. Natural Lite is not bad at all but very watery. Just not much body. The Bud Ice has a bottle and acceptable taste. A little more expensive but the winner out of this group. Got another group for the next cook and the winner of that will take on the Bud Ice! :woohoo:
Now for the cook. Recipe is from Guy Big Bite of the Food Network.

1 cup plus 1/4 cup orange juice, divided
1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, divided
1/4 cup vinegar
4 (1-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup watercress, for garnish
1 Roma tomato, chopped, for garnish
1/2 avocado, sliced, for garnish


In a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag, combine 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup lime juice, and vinegar. Add pork and let it sit and marinate for about 1 hour in refrigerator.
In a small mixing bowl, combine all dried spices. Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and rub with the dry spice mixture.

Heat oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Place the pork chops in the pan and sear on 1 side until brown. Flip over and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Then add the garlic and continue to cook until garlic begins to brown. Pour in the remaining 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup lime juice, and white wine. Simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced and begins to thicken. The chops should be cooked through.

Remove the chops from pan and put on a warm plate. Continue to reduce juices in pan by half. Pour over the chops and serve immediately.

Garnish with watercress, tomatoes and avocado.


Left out the watercress but did everything else pretty much as suggested.


Browned the chops with alittle EVOO instead of canolia


Then tossed in my onion and garlic with a big hickory chunk.


When the vegs started to brown removed chops and covered in my Le Cruset dish that I had preheated with water I nuked in the house. Added the last liquids and cranked the heat up to 400 till rendered down.


Spooned ofer the chops and time to eat. Forgot the advacadas and tomatoes till after the pics and by then it looked like a bunch of hogs had been there! :laugh: This is one strong dish. Not hot but strong. The tomatoes and advacodas really cut the tartness and make the dish but if you don't like strong flavors this one is not for you. I really liked it and will do again.

Sun Devil Brett

Is the cat in the cage because the bird's on the Cup? :laugh:

lowercasebill

food looks great jake seems to be satisfied BUT the orange thing on your plate?? you out of death peppers???
hope to see a duck on the plate tuesday!

Little Steven

JL,

That would be a great marinade for Cuban pulled pork too. I forget the name of it but it is a classic Cuban dish.

Steve

JLOCKHART29

Yep. Sent you the last of the Death peppers except for seed stash. Fixing to crash as got to get up at 2:30 to chase them ducks in the morning!

Big'un

Looks good! I love cuban food. Big influence down in Tampa, where I grew up.

Boss Hogg

JL-I've been wondering....is jake potty trained and is that what you use to fertilize the death peppers . Also, got a few lush type relatives coming over for Thanksgiving and I'm waiting for your prize winning beer so i know what to feed them :woohoo:

Brian

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

JLOCKHART29:
Wow, that looks and sounds great...I'm going to give that a try!
R: Beer though....For what ever it’s worth, I like a full flavored beer. The stronger, the darker…The most bite the better!!
So, sorry…But I have to chuckle about your beer tasting comments!
Don’t take me wrong here…I can appreciate what you are doing and I’m not really trying to pass any judgment. Just enjoyed your comments (with that chuckle :P ) in regard to the run down on this “go-round” of your beer tasting. Mostly your comments on the “lite” beers.
It reminded me of a cartoon I saw a few years back.
Three cowboys (backs toward the viewer) were standing on a corral fence pi- -ing into the horse trough.
The caption read “The Birth of Light Beer”

Beanie-Bean

I spotted the orange death pepper in the pic w/Jake Hope you get some nice ducks this morning. Will check in before Thanksgiving--busy day today, then I'm pretty much done.

Rollocks

Gotta stick with the 'nati light in these hard economic times. But find it in a bottle, it is much better tasting, even though it may cost a few pennies more.

If you really want to save money, brew your own.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

All kidding aside…
Yes! We are experiencing some pretty hard times, and I think it will get much worse before it gets better :( ! About the only thing I haven’t cut back on…Is food! I can still afford to cook and eat. So all is not lost yet.
Regarding "Home Brewing" though; I have actually cut back on making home brew as the price for both barley and hops have really taken a major jump. With that thought, I would suggest you give Grain Belt Premium, if you can get it where you all live. It’s a pretty darn good brew for the money!

Cookn&Climbn

Busch in a bottle...never see that around here in GA.