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Smoked and Grilled Pork Chops with Cider Glaze and Roasted Apples

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TREND: HOLIDAY CATERING

SOURCE: CHEF DE CUISINE ERIC MUGHANNEM; MICHIGAN DINING CATERING, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, ANN ARBOR, MICH.

Chef Mughannem created this special-occasion dish for smaller fall and winter events catered by the university. For a change of pace from the usual beef or chicken as the center-of-the-plate protein, he chose pork, applying three different prep techniques—brining, smoking and grilling— to make the meat flavorful and juicy. Cider and apples add seasonal flavors to the dish.

Ingredients

Brine
2 cups water
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. chili flakes
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups ice

Pork chops
4 pork chops (6-7 oz. each)
2 apples, peeled and cut into large dice
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. cracked black pepper
2 cups apple cider
2 tbsp. butter, cubed
8 sage leaves, fried

Spaetzle
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. grated lemon zest
2 tbsp. minced fresh chives and parsley

Steps

  1. Prepare brine: In small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine water, salt, sugar, chili and vanilla; bring to boil. Chill with ice.

  2. Place pork in hotel pan; pour brine over pork until meat is submerged. Refrigerate up to 6 hours or overnight.

  3. Coat apples with oil, salt and pepper. Roast in 350 F oven until tender, about 45 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, place cider in small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until cider reduces and becomes syrupy. Stir in butter and set aside with roasted apples.

  5. Remove pork from brine and cold smoke for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 F. Place chops on grill to create cross hatching; finish cooking in oven until internal temperature reaches 135 F. Let stand to rest.

  6. To serve, spoon glaze over pork and surround with and top with apples. Garnish with fried sage leaves.

Spaetzle

  1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold together with your hands until it draws in the flour from the sides and is combined well; the dough should be smooth and thick. Let dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

  2. In large pot, bring salted water to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. To make spaetzle, hold a large holed colander or perforated pan over simmering water; push dough through holes with a spatula or spoon. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until spaetzle floats to the surface; stir to prevent sticking.

  3. Drain spaetzle in a colander and shock in ice water to prevent cooking further.

  4. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add the spaetzle, tossing to coat. Cook spaetzle for 1 to 2 minutes until noodles turn light golden.

Yield: 4 servings

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