Ginger Orange Pork

Is it hot in here, or is just my cooking? ;-)

We've had quite the heat wave here in NYC, which means nobody wants to cook, right? Well, call me crazy, but I made terrific pork chops this week, when it was over 100 degrees out.

This dish was inspired by a recipe by Paula Deen, which you can find here:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/double-orange-glazed-pork-chops-recipe/index.html The technique is the same, and the base of pork and orange is the same, but I felt like the original dish could benefit from a boost of Asian flavor. I added julienne-style slivers of ginger and small amounts of sesame oil and soy sauce, which added a completely new dimension to this dish.

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Ginger Orange Pork

1 lb pork chops

2 inches of fresh ginger root, sliced into slivers

2 tbs orange marmalade

1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tbs unsalted butter

2 tbs vegetable oil

• In a small bowl, combine marmalade, ginger slivers, soy sauce, sesame oil. Gradually stir in the orange juice. Set aside.
• Season the pork chops with salt & pepper.
• Heat butter and vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chops in the pan, and let them cook, undisturbed 5-6 minutes on each side (more or less, depending on the thickness of the chops). Once the chops are cooked through, remove from pan, and cover with foil.
• Drain off all but 2 tbs of the pan drippings, and add the ginger-orange sauce to the pan. Stir to deglaze the pan and reduce the sauce, about 5 minutes.
• Return the chops to the pan. Turn to coat with sauce.

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Comments/Tips:

• I served this with a simple side of cooked baby carrots, but it would also go nicely with a green salad. Serve it with something that won't distract your taste buds from the flavor of the sauce.
• I think the addition of the ginger/soy sauce/sesame oil moves this dish up, and gives it a wonderful overtone, but I also think that Paula Deen's recipe is terrific by itself!
• Don't move the chops around in the pan while they cook. Shake the pan back and forth so that all sides are in contact with the oil/butter in the pan, but the less the pork moves, the more it caramelizes.
• Don't be afraid to cook on a hot day! Yes, it was HOT in my kitchen the day that I made this dish, but it was totally worth it!

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Have you tried one of these recipes? Do you have a comment or question about one of my "best meals"? Please let me know!!