Iberico Thick Cut Chops

A Message from the Chef:

When you cook Iberico pork, you are not trying to conquer it. You are trying to accompany it. This is meat that asks for patience, attention, and a little reverence, if you don't mind this parson saying. Cook it low. Cook it slow. Let it rest. And above all, don't cook away the very thing that makes it a gift-the fat. The fat carries oleic acid, more than any other animal. It's the good kind, the kind that tends the heart and quiets inflammation. It melts sooner and gentler than the fat of a run-of-the-mill pig, and if you rush it you will lose what you came for. These thick-cut chops arrive vacuum-sealed and frozen, and while they can be grilled or smoked with care, I most often cook them in a cast iron skillet, and finish them in the same skillet in a low heat oven. The chops have already been brined for you in a simple, seasoned bath of sea salt and brown sugar. Brine has done honest work, deepening the flavor and guarding the moisture. ~ The Picklin Parson

What You’re Gonna Need:

  • 4 thick cut brined pork chops

  • Salt & Pepper

How to Make It:

  1. Thaw--One to two hours before cooking, move the chops from the freezer to the refrigerator. When that time has passed, unwrap them and let them sit out briefly. They should be damp and yielding on the outside, still cool at the center. That cold heart of the chop allows a longer, slower cook at 275°F without haste. Preheat the oven to 275°F.

  2. Season--Salt and black pepper are enough. Anything more risks talking over the meat. Iberico knows its own story; let it tell it.

  3. Sear--Fortwo to four chops, pour about ¼ cup to½ of avocado oilor pecan oil-both rich in oleic acid and steady at high heat-into a cast-iron skillet. Bring the oil to 400-425°F. It should shimmer, but not smoke. Lay the chops in gently and sear each side for 90 seconds to 2 minutes. The goal is not doneness but a nice crust, sealing that marbled fat where it belongs. (The chops may be fully thawed if you prefer, but then you must be all the more careful not to overcook them. Moisture and juiciness is the goal.)

  4. Finish--Once both sides are seared, slide the skillet into the oven. Place a thermometer in the thickest chop. Let the meat tell you when it is ready. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 140-145°F, yielding a medium-rare to medium chop. Depending on how chilled the center was, this may take around 20 minutes. Trust the thermometer, not the clock. While they cook, warm a plate-two minutes in the microwave will do-so the chops have a proper place to rest.

  5. Rest--Remove the chops from the oven and let them rest on the warm plate for 10 minutes. This is not idle time. It is when the meat gathers itself. Serve with vegetables that know the soil and compliment the pork and plate. Notice the color. The chew. The quiet richness. The meat is good clear to the bone-so don't be shy about it. And whatever you do, don't cast off the fat cap. That is not excess. That is the delicacy.

How to Use It:

Pairs well with Ginger Tomato Chutney, Honey Apple Butter, or Salty Dog Dill Pickles