4 Rivers Smokehouse’s John Rivers shares a cowboy recipe that hits all the smoky marks.
I love seeing a bone-in, double-cut pork chop coming off a sizzling grill boasting of charred crisscross diamonds while juices slowly ooze down its side. But making sure this lean cut yields juicy perfection and not a chalk-dry hunk of meat can prove to be a challenge. Producing a succulent chop requires some special attention to deal with its density and lack of fat. A combination of four techniques (brining, grilling, smoking, and saucing) produces the desired moist meat while bringing together layers of complementary flavors and textures. The process requires a bit of work, but it’s well worth the effort in order to consistently produce a juicy yet lean pork chop.
— John Rivers, chef-owner 4 Rivers Smokehouse
(Serves 4)
Brined Pork Chops
4 (14-ounce) bone-in, double-cut (thick) pork chops
1 cup salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 bay leaves
4 cups water
½ cup apple juice
½ cup soy sauce
1 cup maple syrup
Milanese Soy-Honey Glaze
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
½ cup honey
½ cup apple juice
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
2 tablespoons cilantro, freshly chopped
Pinch of coarse salt
Pinch of black pepper, freshly ground
To make the pork chops
Combine all ingredients in a bowl or pan large enough to hold pork chops. Cover and brine for 24 hours. Remove pork chops from brine and smoke over hickory at 225 degrees until internal temperature is 145 degrees. Remove from smoker and allow to cool.
To make the glaze
Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add garlic, ginger, and scallions and cook for 30 seconds. Loosen bits from bottom of pan with rice wine vinegar. Stir in honey, apple juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar; bring to a simmer. Mix together cornstarch and water; whisk into simmering liquid. Stir in cilantro. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and keep at room temperature. If made in advance, reheat and thin with a little water.
To serve
Brush chops with glaze. Put chops on a hot grill and sear until grill marks form. To make perfect “diamond” marks, place at a 45-degree angle for 90 seconds. Turn chop to opposing 45-degree angle and grill for 90 seconds more. Flip and grill for 90 seconds. Then turn chop to opposing 45-degree angle and grill for 90 seconds. Remove from grill, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Ladle remaining sauce over chops and serve warm. The pork chops serve well with grilled slices of pineapple brushed with the glaze and a jasmine rice pilaf.
(Chef’s tip: If you don’t have a smoker handy, you can cook the four bone-in, double-cut pork chops in the oven and finish them off on the grill.)
Recipes edited and excerpted with permission from The Southern Cowboy Cookbook by John Rivers (Story Farm, 2013).
From the July 2014 issue.