Of all the parts of the pork carcass, only the neck and the rump are ahead in value. This meat is suitable for cooking almost any meat dish. Such versatility is due to the delicate texture, leanness and pleasant taste of the pulp.
Bacon chop
What is pork chop?
Pork chop is the dorsal part of the carcass of an animal, that is, the boneless half of the loin. Such pulp is located along the ridge from the very head to the rump of the pig. This part of the carcass is highly valued due to the fact that the pulp here is especially tender.
Animals are physiologically arranged in such a way that in the process of life they actually do not use the back muscles. Accordingly, the fibers of muscle tissue in the absence of physical activity do not coarsen and remain soft. And this, in turn, not only gives the meat pulp a special taste, but also significantly reduces the time required for its preparation. In addition, the fat layer is almost completely absent in carbonade, which makes it possible to attribute it to dietary meat.
In cooking, carbonade can be used to prepare almost any dish with pork. Barbecue is fried from it, baked in a whole piece, added to meat pilaf, medallions are made. With the observance of the cooking technology, the meat remains tender, juicy and has a pronounced taste.
cooking recipes
The high demand for pork chop has led to the fact that for each dish that is made from it, dozens of different cooking methods are offered. Numerous recipes and detailed cooking technology are full of Internet pages. But still there is a list of pork chop dishes that are rightfully considered the most popular.
Chops stewed in wine
Such a dish can be prepared quite quickly and suggests a rich taste and aroma. For its preparation, the following ingredients are needed:
- carbonade – approximately 700-800 g;
- mushrooms (preferably champignons) – 500 g;
- meat broth – at least 150 l;
- sweet or semi-sweet wine (preferably dessert) – 100 ml;
- onion – 2 medium onions;
- Garlic – 2 cloves;
- flour – 70 g;
- refined sunflower or olive oil – 2-3 tablespoons;
- salt, pepper and other spices to taste.
Mushrooms for the dish
In order to prevent tender meat from falling apart during cooking, the flesh must be cut across the fibers. In this case, the pork is cut into the same pieces as for the preparation of ordinary chops, in which the slice thickness is approximately 1 cm. Before cutting, the meat must be thoroughly washed and wiped dry with a paper towel.
The dish is prepared according to the following scheme:
- To soften the pork, it must be beaten off with a hammer on both sides.
- Pour the prepared flour onto the table and carefully roll each piece in it.
- Pour oil into the pan and wait until it heats up to the optimum temperature.
- Fry the slices of meat in a pan on both sides until each of them is well browned.
- When the chops are ready, take them out of the pan, and instead of them, add chopped (in any way you like) onion and garlic to the oil.
- As soon as the vegetables acquire a golden color, pour the mushrooms into them and, stirring thoroughly, then simmer everything together for another 10 minutes.
- Add wine to the mushrooms and wait until it starts to boil.
- Pour the broth into the resulting sauce and boil for another 5 minutes.
- When some of the liquid has evaporated, put the meat back into the pan. Cook it for another 5-7 minutes on each side.
- Add salt and pepper while simmering. Sprinkle spices on each side of the chops.
Reference. Ready-made stew can be served as a separate dish or supplemented with a side dish. If you wish, you can dilute the taste and aroma with coriander, herbs or purchased mixtures of dry herbs.
Carbonade skewers in tomato sauce
Carbonade is no less in demand for barbecue. On hot coals, the meat quickly reaches, and by choosing the right marinade, it can be made soft and juicy.
Carbonade skewers in tomato marinade
Marinade based on tomato sauce wins in several directions at once:
- well softens meat fibers;
- requires a minimum number of ingredients;
- perfectly complements the taste of pork.
To prepare a barbecue according to this recipe, you will need:
- pork chop – 2-2,5 kg;
- tomato juice – at least 0,5 liters per specified volume of meat;
- onions – 5-6 medium-sized onions;
- salt and pepper.
If desired, you can also add special seasonings for barbecue. The pickling process takes place according to the following plan:
- Rinse the meat thoroughly under running water and wipe dry with a napkin.
- Cut the pulp into equal parts. It is desirable that the size of one piece does not exceed 5-7 cm.
- Put all the pieces in a bowl or pan, sprinkle them with pepper and salt, mix thoroughly so that the spices get on each piece.
- Cut some of the onions into rings, and finely chop the rest. Transfer all this to a bowl with pork and stir.
- Carefully pour the tomato juice into the container with the meat.
The juice does not have to completely cover the meat: the marinade will still saturate each piece. But it should be remembered that the tomato in the pork is absorbed for a long time. Therefore, it is advisable to marinate 8-10 hours before cooking.
As for the preparation itself, on medium heat, barbecue should be cooked for 15 to 20 minutes. Moreover, it is desirable in the first 4-5 minutes to lower the meat lower to the heat and constantly turn it over. This will ensure the formation of a thin crust that will prevent the loss of juice.
Important! The main feature of such a marinade is that even when frying in a pan on the stove, the meat invariably retains a rich taste, remains tender and juicy.
Pork chop baked in foil
Unlike conventional baking, cooking such a dish in foil preserves the taste, smell and juice in the meat as much as possible. Accordingly, the food turns out to be more saturated and bright.
Carbonate baked in foil
To prepare baked chop you need:
- pork – 2 kg;
- tomatoes – 3-4 small fruits;
- tomato paste – about 200 g;
- garlic – 7-8 small cloves;
- wild garlic (in the form of chopped dried herbs) – 20-30 g;
- vegetable oil (preferably olive) – half a tablespoon;
- a mixture of French herbs;
- salt, black pepper and other spices to taste.
Cooking meat this way takes a lot of time and effort. Roasting takes place according to the following technology:
- Wash the pork thoroughly under running water and wipe with a napkin. There is no need to cut the meat. It will bake in one piece.
- Remove the husk from the garlic, chop it and put it in a separate deep plate. Add olive oil there, mix everything thoroughly and leave to infuse for at least 20 minutes.
- In the resulting garlic oil, put the tomato, as well as all the cooked herbs and spices. Stir the sauce until smooth.
- The carbonade is transferred to a flat surface and thoroughly rubbed on all sides with the previously prepared pasta.
- Cut the tomatoes into thin rings and put on top of the pork. For a more pronounced flavor, the meat can be additionally sprinkled with the remnants of wild garlic, which did not go to the sauce.
- Carefully wrap the grated pork in foil so as not to break the tightness of such a package. Put it in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours so that the meat is saturated with sauce.
- Put the bundle on a baking sheet and send to the oven, preheated to 180 degrees. At this temperature, it is enough to bake pork for one hour.
Tellingly, this dish is usually eaten cold, so immediately after baking, without breaking the wrapper, it is allowed to cool to room temperature. Then it is sent to the refrigerator, where the meat is infused for another 2 hours.
Important! Before serving, the carbonade is cut into slices. As an addition to it, you can serve side dishes, mustard, ketchup, adjika or sauce prepared in advance.
Carbonade is rightfully considered one of the most tasty parts of pork carcasses. Tender and juicy meat without a layer of fat can be consumed even by people on a diet. But when cooking, you must strictly follow the cooking technology, otherwise it is quite easy to spoil the consistency of the meat or dry it out.
