Jeremy Vincent’s ginger beer pork chops recipe

Pork is one of the easiest meats to prepare, and this rich and tasty ginger beer-flavoured sauce will ensure it doesn’t dry out.

AS THE autumn weather begins to leave a chill in the air at the end of even the sunny days, it’s good to have a dish that warms the cockles of the heart and still has a warm-weather flavour.

That flavour can come before you cook some dishes in the form of a marinade, or it can include a full-flavoured sauce that imparts flavour as the ingredients cook.

Pork is one of the easiest meats to prepare, but today’s modern cuts are often so trimmed of their fats that you need to take care not to overcook small cuts, such as chops and medallions, as they dry out quickly. This dish helps get around that by including a rich and tasty ginger beer-flavoured sauce that ensures there is plenty of liquid in which to lightly “casserole” the meat pieces.

The finished dish can be as rustic or as elegant as you wish, depending on how fussy you are with the cutting of your vegetables.

Some may prefer to peel and de-seed the tomatoes, but I prefer the easy roughly chopped approach, skins and all.

GINGER BEER PORK CHOPS

An easy dish that can be cooked on the stovetop or in the oven.

Serves 4

25g butter

4 pork chops (I leave the fat on, to provide a wonderful flavour for the sauce in this dish)

1 large onion, sliced into rings

4 sticks celery, diced

2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1½ tbsp plain flour

375ml bottle ginger beer

1 beef stock cube, dissolved in 4 tbsp hot water

A dash of Worcestershire sauce

Juice of ½ lemon

225g tomatoes, roughly chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh parsley to finish

If cooking in the oven, preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan).

Heat the butter in a heavy pan and brown the chops quickly over a moderate heat until they are golden (2-3 minutes each side). Remove and place in a casserole dish.

Return the pan to the stove and add the onion, celery and carrots and fry until soft. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute.

Gradually blend in the ginger beer and dissolved stock cube and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring constantly.

When the sauce has thickened, stir in the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, tomatoes and seasoning to taste.

Pour the sauce over the chops, cover the casserole and cook in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or for about 15-20 minutes over a medium heat on the stove, until the pork is tender. Serve with chopped fresh parsley, or garnish with parsley sprigs.

GET THE BEST OUT OF PREPARING PORK CHOPS

A COMMON complaint about pork chops is that they’re bland and tasteless. A quick fix is to marinate them in a simple combination of acid (such as vinegar or lemon juice), oil, salt and aromatics (any of your favourite herbs or spices). It’s best to marinate in the fridge for at least three to four hours but no longer than 12 hours.

BRING the meat to room temperature before cooking. They need about 30 minutes to come from the fridge to room temperature. This helps to ensure they cook evenly and retain moisture during the cooking process. Start them on the stove; finish them in the oven. If you want a juicy chop, you have to quickly sear it on the stove and then transfer it to the oven. Searing creates a crust that will seal in the juices and keep your chops tender while cooking. Finishing in the oven will ensure the chop is cooked through without the risk of overcooking.

ADD a splash of stock to prevent the meat from drying out in the oven. Before transferring to the oven, add a splash of chicken stock as an extra layer of protection against drying out. Adding a few tablespoons of butter to the top of the chops won’t hurt, either.

LET it rest. Let the pork chops rest for at least 10 minutes, covered, before serving them. The juices will redistribute back into the meat to keep them flavourful, tender and juicy.