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Grilled pork chops with tomatillo relish

Grilled Pork Chops with Tomatillo Sauce

Servings: 2
Author: www.miasdailydish.com
Grilled pork is given a latin twist with the addition of a tasty tomatillo pan sauce.
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Ingredients

For the chops

  • 2 - 4 pork shoulder chops preferably grass fed and pastured.
  • 3 Tbsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 C boiling water
  • 2 1/2 cups cold water
  • 12 black peppercorns
  • 2 small bay leaves
  • 2 or 3 garlic cloves smashed

For the Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp lard or other high heat cooking oil
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 1 C chicken broth
  • 2 poblano peppers
  • 1 - 12 oz package of tomatillos about 6
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro plus a bit more for garnish if desired
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the chops

  1. Dissolve the kosher salt in the 1/2 C boiling water. Pour into a pyrex dish, or other marinating vessel big enough to hold your pork chops.
  2. Add the other 2 1/2 cups of cold water to cool the mixture
  3. Add peppercorns, bay leaves and garlic
  4. Once cooled, submerge pork chops in seasoned liquid. Refrigerate at least 4 hours but preferably all day or overnight.
  5. At least 30 minutes before you are ready to cook them, remove the chops from the brine and discard the brine. Pat the chops dry
  6. Season lightly with salt and pepper before grilling. Go easy as the brine will have already salted them.
  7. Grill over med-high heat for 6-8 minutes, flipping once.
  8. Let rest, covered with foil for another 8-10 minutes
  9. Serve with pan sauce and additional cilantro if desired

For the Tomatillo Sauce

  1. Roast poblano peppers over a hot grill or gas burner until blackened on all sides.
  2. Place peppers into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for about 10 minutes.
  3. Peel skin from peppers, then halve and remove the seeds. Chop coarsely and set aside
  4. Quarter tomatillos, then halve again so you end up with 8 pieces for each tomatillo
  5. Heat oil over med-high heat in a frying pan
  6. Add chopped onion and fry until soft and translucent
  7. Add peppers, tomatillos and garlic and stir briefly
  8. Add broth, cumin and lime. Stir and season with salt and pepper
  9. Bring to a boil and then simmer until excess liquid is reduced off, about 30 minutes
  10. Check and adjust seasoning
  11. Serve over grilled pork chops

Recipe Notes

Note - shoulder chops may be labeled as shoulder steaks.
You can make your tomatillo sauce ahead of time and reheat on the stovetop just before serving the chops.