Recipe Background
Carolina-Proud Chops blend bold southern flavors with a touch of friendship, perfect for grilling season.
The journey to mastering these Carolina-Proud Chops began on a cool autumn evening when my best friend, an enthusiastic Carolina native, invited me for a traditional backyard barbecue. I was tasked with prepping the sauce while she regaled me with tales of her Southern roots. With apple cider vinegar and whole-grain mustard in hand, and a mischievous grin on my face, I knew I was in for a treat. The black peppercorns danced aromatically in the saucepan, filling the air with their bold scent. She taught me the importance of toasting them to unlock deeper flavors—a tip I’ve kept close ever since.
As the evening sun settled, the sound of sizzling pork chops mixed with laughter and clinking drinks. My friend’s use of muscadine wine and dark molasses in the braising onions was a revelation. It added a delightful complexity that had everyone in awe at the first bite. These chops became symbolic of that milestone moment, a blend of tradition and discovery on that splendid evening. I learned to baste them with a confident hand, ensuring their juicy allure beneath a balanced glaze.
From that day, I've relished every chance to recreate these chops. Whether it’s a casual gathering or a more intimate dinner, letting the pork rest after grilling remains key. It seals in warmth and ensures every slice is as satisfying as that first Carolina night. Sharing this dish always takes me back to that backyard, where friendship and food found a perfect balance.
Ingredients
For the chops:
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup whole-grain mustard
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar or sorghum syrup
- 1/2 cup ketchup or tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
- 5 (5-inch-long) thyme sprigs
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 1 large shallot grated
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic grated
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 4 (1-pound 2-inch-thick) double-cut pork chops, bone-in
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- neutral-flavored oil to taste, for greasing the grill grates
For the braised onions:
- 3 large Vidalia onions trimmed, quartered
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 3/4 cups muscadine wine
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark molasses
Directions
- Preheat a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the black peppercorns and cook, while shaking the pan occasionally, until the peppercorns are toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the peppercorns to a spice grinder and allow them to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Process the peppercorns until they are finely ground, about 15 seconds.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the ground peppercorns, the vinegar, the mustard, and the butter and stir to combine.
- Bring the vinegar mixture to a simmer, while whisking occasionally.
- Add the light brown sugar, the ketchup, the crushed red pepper, the thyme, the bay leaf, the shallots, the garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt to the vinegar mixture and whisk to combine.
- Cook the vinegar mixture, whisking constantly, until it begins to simmer, about 1-2 minutes.
- Cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer the vinegar mixture, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld together, about 20 minutes.
- Uncover the saucepan and transfer it from the heat.
- Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce in a small bowl, storing it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- In a baking dish, add the pork chops and the remaining sauce, turning the chops to coat them well.
- Cover the baking dish and refrigerate the pork chops for 12 hours.
- Transfer the pork from the marinade, discarding the marinade in the baking dish.
- Rinse the pork chops under cold water, then pat them dry.
- Transfer the pork chops to a large plate and allow them to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle the pork chops evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the remaining salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Using the neutral-flavored oil, grease the grill grates.
- Add the pork chops to the hot grill and cook over direct heat, flipping the pork chops once, until the pork just begins to brown around the edges and along the bones, about 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer the pork chops to indirect heat and cook, covered and flipping once, until the thickest portion of the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees F, about 25-20 minutes.
- During the final 5 minutes of grilling time, baste the pork with the reserved sauce.
- Loosely tent the pork chops with foil and let them rest until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
- While the pork chops are cooking, preheat a small Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the onions, the olive oil, the remaining kosher salt, the ground nutmeg, and the remaining black pepper to the Dutch oven and cook, while stirring constantly, until the nutmeg is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the muscadine wine, the fish sauce, and the dark molasses to the onion mixture and stir to combine.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the onion mixture to a simmer.
- Simmer the onion mixture, while stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and the liquid is reduced and glazes the onions, about 40-45 minutes.
- Serve the pork chops with the braised onions.
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