Rhubarb isn’t just for pie. It also makes a classic fruit and mustard sauce for pork (it works nicely on chicken and lamb, too) that helps keep the meat moist once it’s cooked so it can be prepared ahead and held until folks are ready to eat.
Pork chops are cut out of the same basic part of the pig: the loin, which runs along the pig’s back from shoulder to butt. Depending on where the chops are cut, they’ll have slightly different cooking qualities. My favorite for pan-roasting is the rib chop, sliced from the blade end. The higher fat content makes these chops flavorful and easy to sear. You want them to be thick — at least 1¼ inch thick, because any thinner and they tend to dry out. It’s always a good idea to salt the meat and let it rest before cooking. Salt draws juices up to the meat’s surface, and it’s then reabsorbed through cooking. This concentrates flavors while retaining moisture, yielding a juicer, tastier chop.
Of course, the best-tasting chops rely on good pork — like the meat of heritage pigs, which are bred for flavor instead of low-fat content. When raised free-range and allowed to move about in the fresh air, the animals’ muscle structures develop naturally. And because their diet is varied, the meat tastes rich and complex. You’ll find the best pork from local butchers such as Clancey’s Meats & Fish and France 44 in Minneapolis, the St. Paul Meat Shop in St. Paul as well as food co-ops across the region.
The key to pan-roasting chops is to watch the temperature of your skillet. Start high to sear both sides of the chop until they’re dark brown. Then place the skillet in the oven to finish things off. Pork is done when it reaches 145 degrees on a meat thermometer. Let the chops rest a few minutes to retain their juices and then serve with a crisp green salad and crusty bread to sop up all the sauce.
Pan-Roasted Pork Chops in Mustardy Rhubarb Sauce
Serves 4.
This simple savory rhubarb sauce is equally good on chicken and lamb. Store any extra in a covered container in the refrigerator. Be sure to salt the pork and let it come to room temperature before it hits the pan for tastier, juicier results. From Beth Dooley.
For the Mustardy Rhubarb Sauce:
- 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- ½ lb. rhubarb, fresh or frozen, thawed, and chopped
- ½ c. orange juice
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. whole grain mustard
- 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar,
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the pork chops:
