I have a bunch of pork chops left over from a holiday

[janx]

package from Omaha Steaks. I seldom eat pork, so I don't know what to do with them. Any suggestions? There are a dozen of them in the freezer!

How to you cook those little suckers without drying them out?

[MineralMan]

1. Hmm...how thick are they? That's critical.

Cook them right and you'll always eat pork chops.

Tell me how thick they are and I'll tell you how to cook them. Also, do they have bones or are they boneless?

[janx]

4. A little over half an inch. Maybe I should call them pork steaks.

Most of the Omaha Steaks stuff (at least the beef) is high quality.

[MineralMan]

6. Try the smothered thing in the later message.

Really thin pork chops (1/4-5/16") are easily cooked quickly on a hot skillet. When both sides are browned, they're done.

Really thick pork chops (1" plus) are great seared in a hot skillet on both sides until browned, then baked (350 degrees) just until the pink is gone.

1/2" thick pork chops are tough to get right in a skillet. They're easiest to cook using a wet technique. One tip, though: Before doing anything with them, lightly salt them and sear them in a hot skillet until browned on both sides to develop the flavor. Then use the smothered recipe below.

[janx]

10. Thanks. One of the only times I cook pork is when I make posole.

I have a great recipe that calls for browning pieces of pork in a hot skillet. I understand about searing (beef) steaks, so this makes sense. ;-)

[csziggy]

2. The laziest way to cook pork chops to be juicy - Smothered Pork Chops

4 pork chops
1 package instant soup mix of your choice (I like onion-mushroom)
1 can of condensed soup of your choice (Golden Mushroom is great with pork)
enough white wine, lemon juice or water (1/2 cup or less) to rinse out soup can

Mix soup mix, soup, and liquid together. Pour over pork chops in a baking dish. Bake at 350 F until done (approx. 45 mins)

This recipe also works with chicken. I vary the kinds of soup depending on what is in the pantry and what my mood is.



Oven fried is also good but adjust the cooking time for your oven - if overdone will be dry:
Spray pan with cooking spray or spread oil on it. Preheat oven to 400 F. Dredge pork chops in egg beaten slightly, then in bread crumbs. Place in pan, bake 20 minutes, turn over, bake another 20 minutes.

[janx]

7. Thank you! I'm going to save this. (I've printed it.)

Times are tight, and I'm going to eat these suckers even if I don't often eat pork. (Free food is so much appreciated here right now, and I don't want to waste it.)

[csziggy]

24. I haven't used this recipe for a while - my husband loves it though

But I have been trying to cut back on the gravy and pre-packaged cooking. Oh yeah - serve with rice or something to pour the gravy over!

I think I will make this later this week. I scored a big package of pork chops a few weeks ago on sale and they are in the freezer waiting for inspiration.

[PBS Poll-435]

3. Shake and Bake, baby.

Seriously. A nice treat and they come out perfect.

[janx]

8. Does the coating keep them from drying out?

?

[PBS Poll-435]

11. Seems like it

Are they "bone-in?"

[janx]

13. No bones about it!

:rofl: No, they don't have any bones. They're pork steaks, I guess. They look a little like filet mignon guys, but they're pork.

[PBS Poll-435]

14. Fat around the edges?

Baking always seems to keep the juices in.

Much better than pan frying, grilling, or slow-cooking.

[janx]

18. YES. n/t

[flvegan]

15. That's pork tenderloin, not pork chops.

[janx]

20. It is?

I don't even know the difference. I'm an omnivore, but I just don't eat pork that often.

:rofl:

I grew up in St. Louis. People there used to cook some of the most famous ribs on earth--pork chops, too, but they used barbecue sauce, etc.

P.S. Have you posted a pic of your dane pup yet? I asked about him in another thread.

P.P.S. I would be honored if you would read the title story from my story collection; I think you'd enjoy it. Check my home page link. ;-)

[flvegan]

21. I remember having it as a kid.

Isn't it ironic that a vegan may have identified that? :rofl:

I haven't. I need a card reader for this laptop.

Will do, thanks for the invite.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

16. Agreed

It's been a long time since I used Shake'n'Bake for pork chops, but I remember how terrific they were.

Now, I've got to get some pork chops and Shake'n'Bake. Those chops were really good.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RX96J37WL._SL500_AA280_PIbundle-12,TopRight,0,0_AA280_SH20_.jpg

[PBS Poll-435]

22. WHATEVER YOU DO,

Don't follow the directions.

380 degrees for 45 mins.

The "quick" directions, 425 degrees for 15 minutes = borderline raw and soggy chops.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

23. Pork at 425?

Jesus, no! A thousand times no! Who came up with that little piece of stupidity?

You always have to be gentle with pork - it dries out so easily. But, when it's good, it's great.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Now I'm dreaming of Twice Cooked Pork. Maybe Chinese for lunch tomorrow?

Pork - the other white meat.

[Bucky]

5. White wine sauce and assloads of grilled onions.

Better than pork stew

[janx]

9. We're talking about the grill here?

I'm really clueless, and I'm not a bad cook.

[Bucky]

12. how ironic that one place you can't grill onions is the grill

When I was in Girl Scouts we would put veggies and meat into a pocket of aluminum foil and just drop it into a fire. All the moisture is enveloped in and nothing dries out. But that's totally camp out cooking--not sure you wanna go there.

[janx]

17. I've been there, many times, without the Girl Scouts!

;-)

But I don't want to build a camp fire in the back yard right now, and it's still a little cold to go camping.

I've grilled shrimp on the grill and plenty of veggies on the grill--you just have to get something to put on top of the grill, like foil or a grilling sheet with holes in it, to prevent the stuff from falling into the fire.

Hey...have you ever used a charcoal grill to grill corn on the cob? My parents used to do this, and I tried it a couple of times also, years ago: You soak the cobs (in the husks) in water for about 45 minutes, and then you toss them into the coals. I think one variation of this is to take the husks off and wrap them in foil--can't remember. In any case, that roasted corn is simply one of the greatest tastes on earth. I'll have to check with my brothers to verify exactly how it was done.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

19. Do 'em in a frying pan,

heat them in some olive oil, season them first, as recommended above, and then do whatever you want with them. That's my idea of "indoor grilling."

The word "grill" can be so confusing, but that's my definition, and it works well here.

Bon appetit.........................

[OhioBlue]

25. I have terrible luck with pork chops in a pan

The only way I get them to turn out well is shake and bake or put them in an oven or crock pot and cover them with sour kraut.

[seaker]

26. Add them to the bail out

[old mark]

27. Put 'em in a crock pot with a can of good sauerkraut for a few hours.

Make the best most tender pork you ever had.
Need mashed potatos with that, though.

mark

[friendly_iconoclast]

28. With apples and oranges in white wine on a bed of rice

Seriously. It really works well with pork, even wild boar.
(I learned this from a hunter)

I've had those Omaha pork steaklets before

This is for 2-3 lbs. of meat (4-6 big chops)

You'll want:

The chops
2-3 oranges
2-3 apples- Macintosh, Jonathan or some other strong flavored variety
Bottle of white wine
2-4 tablespoons black peppercorns
Basmati rice or rice medley


peel the oranges and segment them
Wash the apples thourougly, then slice into bits.
Mix the wine 1/2 with water
put the wine mix, apple and orange slices over the
pork chops and marinade overnight.

Next day, add the peppercorns to the above and cook in crock pot or
low (275F) oven until chops are tender.

Cook the rice seperately, and serve the chops + stewed fruit on top

Enjoy!