Roasted Pork Chops With Hard Cider Jus

author: diantha

created: 2004-07-21 18:32:19

servings:

notes:

This was from Gourmet’s French country issue of January 2003. Mm-mm good. I usually make 4 chops and slightly lessen the rest of the ingredients, depending on chop size. I don’t have a meat thermometer, so heretofore I have ignored that part of the directions, but am still alive to tell the tale.

recipe:

8 (1 inch thick) pork chops sea salt fresh ground black pepper 2 1/2 tablespoons butter 1 pound (about 8) large shallots (bulbs separated and each bulb halved lengthwise) 1 cup hard cider Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Pat pork chops dry and sprinkle both sides with sea salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chops in 2-3 batches, depending how many you have, turning once, 6 minutes per batch, and transfer with tongs to a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep). Add shallots and remaining tablespoon butter to skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add cider and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 3 minutes. Spoon shallots and sauce around chops and roast in lower third of oven until thermometer inserted horizontally into center of 1 chop (do not touch bone) registers 150 degrees F, 7 to 9 minutes. Let chops stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes (temperature will rise to 155 degrees F while standing). Serve chops with shallots and sauce. Makes 8 servings.