Pan-Roasted Pork Chop with Braised Red Cabbage, Glazed Carrots and Cider Jus
A beautifully classic dish courtesy of Chef Jack Williams of The Langhorne, Folkestone.
Ingredients
- Oil for cooking
- 2 bacon rashers
- 1 red onion, sliced
- ¼ red cabbage, sliced
- sprigs of thyme
- 150 ml orange juice
- 150 ml red wine vinegar or red wine
- 2 butcher's pork chops
- salt & pepper for seasoning
- 20 g butter
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 baby carrots or 2 carrots cut in half
- 100 ml cider, plus the rest for drinking
- 400 ml pork jus or your preferred gravy choice
Instructions
Red Cabbage Braise
- Preheat the oven to 170℃
- In an oven-proof pan on medium heat, fry the bacon until caramelised.
- Add the onion and fry until sweated out.
- Add the cabbage, stirring to incorporate all the flavours.
- Add thyme sprigs, orange juice and red wine, place the lid on the pan and transfer to the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, the cabbage will be tender and the liquid reduced to a nice glaze.
Pork Chops & Carrots
- While the cabbage is in the oven, start on the pork chops. Heavily season with salt and pepper, and salt the skin, as we're going to hit it skin side down first in a hot pan to create crackling. This will take a couple of minutes.
- Once you get a nice crust, move on to the flesh side and hard sear on both sides to get a nice Maillard reaction. While in the pan, add some butter (about 20g) with garlic cloves and thyme. Baste the pork with the foaming butter.
- Add your carrots to glaze in all the goodness from the pan.
- Place in the oven for 15 minutes, or if you have a probe, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 75℃. Take out to rest up.
Cider Jus
- Pour 100ml of cider in a pan on the stove and let it reduce to a concentrated syrup. Pour on your chosen gravy base while whisking and it's ready! If you're going with stock, reduce down to your desired thickness - for me, if it coats the back of a spoon, it's ready!
Plating Up Time!
- Spoon a nice heap of red cabbage in the middle of your plate or bowl. Baste the chops and carrots in the pan juices and place the pork chop on top of your cabbage. Scatter the carrots on and around the pork. Finally, lash your sauce all over and enjoy with the remaining cider!!