Clean Out The Freezer Week 2016: Pork Chop Sandwiches

J – This is a tale of not letting a good food gift go uneaten.

How could this possibly happen, one might ask? With me, easily. I am a creature of habit, stubbornly at times. I will meditate in the morning, unless the house is burning or I have a flight to catch.

I will go to the Farmer’s Market, even if I don’t think I need anything … who knows what might catch my eye.

I always buy a big hunk of pork belly from the same guy when I need more bacon. My banter with the sometimes-grumpy vendor is fun. He even seems to like it.

Therein is the problem. He has given me a few “extras” from time to time. If it’s more pork belly, there’s no problem.

But, one time, he gave me three pounds of boneless pork chops and told me a sweet story about his autistic son loving them. Now I was stuck … I had to use them.

I got back to the kitchen and threw them into the fridge, meaning to brine them soon.

Two days later, Christina asked me what was up with the pork chops. Oops! I quickly brined them. Two days later, we sealed them in cryovac and tossed them into the freezer.

That was almost a year ago! Hence, clean out the freezer week.

Good news. Upon thawing, the pork chops were just fine.

They are simple to make. Just don’t over-fry them.

Clean Out The Freezer Week 2016: Pork Chop Sandwiches
Recipe type: Mains
Author:
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 25 mins
Serves: 2 sandwiches
Ingredients
  • 2 – 8oz pieces boneless pork chops brined for 48 hours; recipe link below
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 eggs slightly, beaten
  • Canola oil for frying
  • 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 Tbsp mustard
  • Butter for toasting
  • 2 – 3 inch thick sliced ciabbatta bread, cut lengthwise
  • 1 cup baby arugula
  • 2 thinly sliced red onions
  • Sliced pickles
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
  2. Remove pork chops from brine and dry off completely with paper towels.
  3. Season flour with a pinch each of salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and place in a shallow bowl.
  4. In another shallow bowl, place eggs, a pinch each of salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Mix well.
  5. Place pork chops in the flour coating both sides.
  6. Then place the pork chops into the egg mixture coating both sides.
  7. Place the pork chops back into the flour mixture coating both sides.
  8. Heat a frying pan with 1 inch of canola oil. Heat until temperature reaches 350 degrees.
  9. Carefully, place pork chops into frying pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. About 5 minutes on each side.
  10. Remove from pan and drain on a wired rack. Place in the oven to keep warm.
  11. Toast the bread in a skillet by adding about a tablespoon of butter melted on the bottom of the pan. Toast until golden brown on the cut side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  12. Mix mayonnaise, a pinch of salt and pepper, a pinch of cayenne and the minced garlic.
  13. Spread the mayonnaise mixture on the cut side of one of the bread pieces.
  14. Spread mustard on the cut side of the other piece of bread.
  15. Place the pork chop on bottom of the piece of the bread.
  16. Top with arugula, onions and pickles.
  17. Serve.
  18. Enjoy!

Pork Chop Brine recipe {same as smoke chicken)

Fresh, crunchy, toasted ciabatta bread, crispy fried pork chop, baby arugula, onions and pickles. Delicious. Worth the wait.