Pork Chops With Gremolata Recipes

Steps:

• Brine the pork: In a large bowl, whisk 1 quart warm water, the brown sugar, salt and paprika until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the peppercorns, sage, thyme and rosemary and let cool to room temperature. Add the pork chops to the brine. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the gremolata: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small baking dish. Cover with foil and bake until the garlic is completely tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let the garlic cool in the oil. Strain, reserving the roasted garlic and oil separately. Chop enough roasted garlic to measure 1 tablespoon. Reserve the remaining roasted garlic for another use.
• Mix the parsley, lemon zest, chopped roasted garlic and 1/2 cup of the garlic oil in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Reserve the remaining garlic oil to coat the pork.
• Grill the pork: Preheat a grill to medium high. Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry. Lightly brush the pork with some of the garlic oil and sprinkle with pepper. Grill, turning as needed to prevent flare-ups, until a nicely charred crust forms and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 135 degrees F for medium doneness, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 8 minutes.
• Carve the meat from the bones and slice against the grain. Serve with the gremolata.

Steps:

• For the roast: Remove the pork loin from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the rosemary, garlic and fennel seeds in a small pile on a cutting board. Run your knife through the pile a few times to chop everything finely and mix the ingredients together. Place the herb mixture in a small bowl and stir in the salt and olive oil to make a paste. Set aside.
• Using a sharp paring knife, make ten 1-inch-deep incisions in the top and sides of the pork loin. Rub the herb paste all over the roast, especially in the cut surfaces. Tie the roast in three spots using butcher's twine. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
• Roast to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 40 minutes. Remove the roast from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
• For the gremolata: While the roast rests, whisk together the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil in a small bowl.
• Serve the gremolata alongside the sliced pork.

Steps:

• Strip 4 rosemary sprigs of needles except for tops, reserving 1/4 cup needles. Thread 3 fig halves onto each rosemary skewer. Press 2 garlic cloves and needles from one of 4 remaining rosemary sprigs into each pork chop. Place pork on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Heat grill for direct heat (or a grill pan over high). Generously season pork on both sides with salt and pepper, keeping rosemary and garlic pressed into flesh. Brush grates with oil. Grill chops until marked on both sides, about 2 minutes a side. Reduce heat to low, cover grill (or tent with foil, if using a grill pan), and continue cooking until a thermometer inserted into thickest parts of pork (without touching bone) registers 140 degrees, 7 to 10 minutes more. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with 1 tablespoon orange juice. Let rest 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle or food processor, combine reserved rosemary needles with orange zest, remaining 1 tablespoon orange juice, almonds, and oil to form a chunky sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve pork with fig skewers, potatoes, and rosemary gremolata.