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Firsts in Pork Chop History!

This was my first pork chopped cooked on the Egg and my wife's first pork chop that she liked.

This past weekend I picked up a couple "porterhouse" pork chops from Central Market. Just an aside but what genius decided to use beef cut names for pork?  Anyway, I love pork chops but my wife hates them.  When I questioned her about her hatred of pork chops - I mean, who can hate pork chops?!?!?! - she said that they are flavorless with the texture of gritty shoe-leather.  Ah-Ha!  So she was served dried-out pork chops as a child and doesn't really know how good they can be.  I finally convinced her to give the good old chop another try and I assured her with me cooking it on the Egg it would be different this time.

So this morning before leaving for work I put the chop (a 1+ pounder that we would be splitting) in brine in the fridge.  I got home, started the Egg, and pulled the chop from the brine after a nice 9 hour soak.  Here's the chop after being rinsed and sprinkled with Dizzy Pig:

image



Next up - start the beer reduction glaze.  And yes, just like you don't cook with wine you wouldn't drink, you don't cook with bad beer either - that's Franconia Dunkel (local microbrewery in McKinney, TX). For a reduction like this you do not want to use a beer with a lot of hops because the bitterness will get so concentrated it will make the food you apply it to inedible. 1 bottle of beer and about a teaspoon of honey:

image



After achieving nuclear temp on the egg I throw the chop on for a good sear.  90 seconds a side:

image



I pulled the chop, covered, and dropped the temp of the egg.  Then it was back inside to finish the beer reduction glaze.  Here's what's left - the Tigger bottle-opener is there for scale.  I'd say it's about 2-3 oz:

image



After I got the Egg's temp down to 400 degrees I put in some apple wood chunks and it was back on the grill with the chop.  6 minutes a side (give or take) then I applied the glaze to side 1, flipped, and applied the glaze to the other side:

image



Pulled the chop and did a final temp check - it went up a little less than I expected during the last 2 minutes but hey, it'll coast up at least another 5 degrees right? :)  And besides, even if it's just shy of the FDA's recommended 145 there's a reason it's called a "recommendation" and not a "law". :P

image



Finally it was dinner time.  I cut the chop away from the bone, gave my wife a good bone (because she really likes it) , and plated half of the chop with broccoli and risotto.  Yum!  And the chop really wasn't this pink in person.  I think my iPhone did a less than stellar job on this pic with color temperature and saturation.  I mean, the chop was pink, but it wasn't raw like this picture would indicate.

image



So after making a pretty darn good chop did I change my wife's opinion on pork chops?  Will we be eating more of them?  Should I start thawing the other chop I got this weekend?  You betcha!  It's amazing what a little time, a little knowledge and a Big Green Egg can do to reverse years of chop abuse! :D
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Comments

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    Tigger beer opener...? Where's the Barney sippy cup?

    =))
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200

    Lookin' really good. I think most people have a low opinion of pork chops after eating the overdone ones our parents cooked us for years. 140-145 and a person's mind quickly changes.

    Central Market? Franconia? Me thinks you are in the DFW, probably residing north of the Bush. Allen? McKinney? How's the beer on its own? I haven't had that particular one yet.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    henapple said:
    Tigger beer opener...? Where's the Barney sippy cup? =))
    Comparing Tigger to Barney?  Blasphemy! ;)


    Griffin said:

    Lookin' really good. I think most people have a low opinion of pork chops after eating the overdone ones our parents cooked us for years. 140-145 and a person's mind quickly changes.

    Central Market? Franconia? Me thinks you are in the DFW, probably residing north of the Bush. Allen? McKinney? How's the beer on its own? I haven't had that particular one yet.

    Yep - I'm in Plain-O' Plano. The beer on it's own is very good.  I've had the Franconia Lager at Holy Grail (great pub with delicious food if you haven't been) and I like it better than the Dunkel but some of that preference might be draught vs. bottled.  Anyway, a friend of mine tells me that on Saturdays (I'm not sure if it's every Saturday) Franconia has a brewery tour up in McKinney and you get to sample a number of their beers.
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200

    That's on my to do list. We did Lakewood Brewery back in August. Was still too hot, but should be fine now. I think it was 5 beers for $10.

    Tonight from 5-7, there is free beer and sliders tasting down in Deep Ellum for Deep Ellum Brewery and Chop House Burgers. I probably won't make it since the Mrs. doesn't get home till after 5:30 and I don't wanna drive down 75 at that time. Not to mention I've got some shrimp I need to turn into Green Lightning Shrimp tonight.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    I don't make it down to Deep Ellum very often these days but free beer tasting sounds like it would be fun.  Unfortunately I don't get back home from work until 6:30 or 7:00 and by the time I throw food onto the grill then eat it I'm usually not in the mood to go anywhere.  I will have to put Deep Ellum brewery on my list of places to go though.
  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    Nice, I have been brining my pork chops as well, what a difference it makes.
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    That is one heck of a chop!  Great work.  

    On the side note of "beef names for pork"...someone posted an article on that a while back.  I think it was this one:


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • Great chop ya got der! Its a wonderful feeling to cook for loved ones and especially changing their opinion in a positive way about a food. In my case, Wilma disliked veggies. I got her eating a few now.
    Flint, Michigan
  • RAC
    RAC Posts: 1,688
    Never brined a pork chop. What did you use?

    Ricky

    Boerne, TX

  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    Thanks all for the kind comments and the info on renaming pork cuts.

    Fred, you're right - it IS a wonderful feeling.

    JRWhitee said:
    Nice, I have been brining my pork chops as well, what a difference it makes.
    RAC said:
    Never brined a pork chop. What did you use?
    Just a basic brine I found on here from CenTex - 4 cups water, 1/4 cup kosher salt, 1/8 cup brown sugar.  Bring water to a boil then dissolve in the salt and sugar.  Let cool then stash in fridge until temp is 40 degrees or less before putting the pork in the brine.

    JR - I couldn't believe how big a difference it makes not just in retaining juices but also in flavoring.  You can taste the salt and sugar throughout the whole piece of meat.
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    A fine meal. That was a good looking chop, and you gave it the Deluxe treatment.

    While my wife always liked pork chops, even tho' her mom over cooked everything, steaks included, she still gets antsy whenever pork isn't as grey and dry as cardboard. Took years for het to accept any pork that had even a trace of pink.
  • GK59
    GK59 Posts: 501
    Got my " I hate meatloaf" neighbor to eat meatloaf I made about a month ago. His wife was amazed he ate it.

    Smitty's Kid's BBQ

    Bay City,MI

  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564

    And we have another Texan.

    Seems we have quite a few from the N Dallas area.

    Those are amazing chops. And I agree my family always had tough a** pork chops, pan fried to shoe leather.

    Nice cook.

    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,663
    those tbone style chops are the only way to go, i wont buy a regular chop anymore
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    Hay, my parents would first check pork at 200 and then cook till done..
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    @new2q I usually add some smashed garlic cloves to my brine but I'm Italian and put garlic in everything.
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    The old-school over-cooking of pork seems to be the norm.  Maybe the FDA should do ahead and raise the pork temperature up from 145 to, say, 190.  Hey, our parents over-cooked pork and look at what it did to us?  It toughened us up.  It made us into a generation that holds ourselves accountable and doesn't whine when the power outage hits right before the save point in our favorite video game.  Kids these days could use tough pork.  Teach 'em that there's no such thing as a free lunch and if they want something (like good chops) they have to work for it themselves because it won't be handed to them!

    Oh, and JR, my mom is Italian and I love garlic so smashed cloves are going into my next brine too!  Yum!
  • Searat
    Searat Posts: 80

    Careful New2Q, you could start a whole new thread on "kids today". Nice chops.

    Remind to tell your wife the secret to the chop is all the love the grill master put into the cook that made the meal come out so well because when we're BGEing we're showing those lucky enought to get to eat what we cook how much we love them.

  • Angus1978
    Angus1978 Posts: 390
    I doubt I'll make the Plano Eggfest this year...but yeah...I'm also a Plano resident.  And a lurker.


    LBGE and Primo XL Plano TX All right all right alllll riight
  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    Searat - of course.  I need to tell my wife that the great food is a result of all my hard work and love and if she wants to continue to eat great food then she should buy me all the necessary equipment like a Digi-Q and an AR and and and...

    Angus - Wait, I thought the Plano Eggfest already happened?
  • Angus1978
    Angus1978 Posts: 390
    Not according to the site....Nov 2nd. it says.

    At the risk of hijacking this thread...you ever been?  big crowd? and is it worth it?

    Looks like Elliot's isn't sponsoring this year as I see no demo eggs are available
    LBGE and Primo XL Plano TX All right all right alllll riight
  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    Nope, I've never been.  Heck, I'm wondering what kind of secret handshakes and recipes are learned at one of these shin-digs.
  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564

    It is more of a gathering of eggheads than a Eggfest. I have been to the last 2 and they are a great bunch of folks.

    Check it out:

    http://www.planooutlaweggfest.com/

    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    Missed this when you did it, great cook. The Tigger opener is the first useful Winnie the Pooh item I've ever seen, cool. 
    Another twist on this is to set the egg at 300º, pan fry the chop in a smoking hot CI skillet with choice of rub, Cajun is good. Quick sear to get the crust going then into the egg to finish. In the same CI pan, go through your beer reduction, picks up the good stuff in the pan and makes a different glaze. Great cook!
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    Skiddymarker, searing in a CI pan then using that pan for the beer reduction sounds like a great idea!  I'll have to try that.
  • Logger
    Logger Posts: 309
    edited November 2013
    Can you suggest another beer that's readily available?  That's hard to find for me.  May have to drive to the Moore Liquor Store to inquire about this.  That hippie can find about anything. 
    Is that butter I see in the pan?  How much did you use...really wanting to do this.

    OKC area  XL - Medium Eggs
  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    You might want to do a Google search on "low IBU beers".  IBU is a bitterness rating which usually ties directly to the "happiness" of a beer.  Something like a porter typically has low IBU.
  • New2Q
    New2Q Posts: 171
    Oh, and yeah, that's 1 tbsp of butter in the beer reduction.  Plus a bit of salt (to taste).
  • Spaightlabs
    Spaightlabs Posts: 2,349
    New2Q said:
    You might want to do a Google search on "low IBU beers".  IBU is a bitterness rating which usually ties directly to the "happiness" of a beer.  Something like a porter typically has low IBU.
    It relates to the hoppiness of the beer, not the happiness. Though for me, hoppy beer is happy beer.