Pork Piccata

I find it interesting how recipes often just show up at the right time as happened for this meal.  Within a couple of days of Bev saying she would like pork piccata, Tricia posted a recipe for Chicken Piccata on her Saving Room For Dessert blog.  After reading it, I decided it would work just fine for the pork so I followed the recipe as written except for the meat and lemon zest (I had squeezed all of our lemons a few days before).  Check out Tricia’s site for the original chicken recipe and more pics like this one.

Pork Piccata – Slightly adapted from Saving Room For Dessert

Ingredients:

6 boneless pork chops, ½“ x ¾“ thick

3 tablespoons kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

½ cup all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves minced

2 shallots minced

¾ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons capers rinsed and drained

1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

zest from 1 lemon (in large strips removed with a vegetable peeler)

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

extra lemon slices for serving

chopped parsley leaves for garnish

Instructions:

To prepare loin chops and brine:

1. Remove fat from chops and use the Jaccard to tenderize and flatten them to about ¼“.

2. Dissolve kosher salt in 1 quart of tepid water in a large zipper bag or bowl. Seal and shake to dissolve the salt, then add the chops. Leave at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes while preparing the other ingredients. Remove the chops, rinse, drain and blot dry with paper towels. Season the meat with pepper. ( larry didn't rinse them)

To cook the pork chops:

3. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until melted. 

4. Add the flour to a large plate, dredge the meat in it, and add half to the skillet. Do not crowd the pan. Cook until the pork pieces are golden brown on one side, 3-4 minutes. Turn and cook another 3 minutes on the other side or to a 140F internal temp. Remove the cooked chops to a plate and put in a 140F oven to keep warm. 

5. Add another tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and repeat by cooking the remaining pork.

To prepare the sauce:

6. Add the garlic and shallots to the now empty pan and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

7. Add the wine to delgaze the pan scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. 

8. Add the capers, chicken broth and lemon zest strips (if using). Cook, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat until reduced by about half and just starting to thicken. Remove and discard the lemon zest. 

9. Remove the pan from the heat and add the last 2 tablespoons butter and lemon juice to the pan. Stir until the butter is melted.

10. Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the pan and flip to coat with the sauce then serve.

We served them over plate-mashed boiled potatoes.

The Verdict:

Not surprisingly for a Tricia recipe, we all thought it was very good but Bev said it could have been a little less lemony for her.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

1/19/21 meal date