Chuletas Ahumadas con Piña
Comida (Grandma's Mains for Busy Tuesdays)
Forget the Hollywood illusion of Cuban cooking—every dish does not require a twenty-four-hour mojo marinade. In the real kitchens of the diaspora, survival and flavor rely on the brilliant pragmatism of the working grandmother. Here, salt-cured, hickory-smoked pork chops meet the unapologetic utility of canned pineapple juice to create an instant sweet-and-savory pan sauce. Anchored by the warm, aromatic depth of whole cloves and a splash of dry wine, it is an irrefutable masterpiece of weeknight utility that tastes exactly like home.
Before you start
Prepare the aromatics.
Slice the yellow onion into half-moons and mince the garlic cloves.
Separate the pineapple and juice.
Drain the canned pineapple slices, making sure to reserve all the juice for the pan sauce.
Ingredients
- bone-in smoked pork chops4 med
- canned pineapple slices in juice20 oz
- yellow onion1 large
- fresh garlic3 small
- butter or neutral oil1 tbsp
- dry white wine or dry vermouth1/4 cup
- Dijon mustard1 tsp
- whole cloves3 small
- black pepper1/4 tsp
Method
- 01
Sear the smoked pork chops.
Heat the butter or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, browning the chops for two to three minutes per side to wake up the fat and build a crust, then remove them to a plate.
- 02
Sauté the aromatics in the pork fat.
Lower the heat to medium and toss the sliced onions directly into the residual drippings, cooking until softened and lightly browned, before stirring in the minced garlic for thirty seconds.
- 03
Caramelize the pineapple rings.
Push the onions to the edge of the skillet and lay the pineapple slices in the center, letting them pick up color for about two minutes per side.
- 04
Build the sweet and savory glaze.
Pour in the reserved pineapple juice, dry white wine, mustard, and whole cloves, stirring gently to scrape up any browned fond from the bottom of the pan.
- 05
Reduce the sauce into a lacquer.
Let the liquid bubble and aggressively reduce for five to seven minutes until it transforms into a thick, glossy syrup, finishing with a few cracks of black pepper.
- 06
Reintegrate the pork chops.
Return the pork and any resting juices to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce for two minutes to heat through completely before serving.
Notes
Watch out for the whole cloves.
The cloves are essential for that traditional, warming Caribbean background note, but warn your diners not to bite into them directly. Never substitute ground cloves, which will overpower the dish and turn the sauce gritty.
Serve with white rice.
This dish demands a bed of long-grain white rice to soak up the glossy, sweet-and-sour pan sauce.
Understanding smoked chops.
Smoked pork chops are fully cooked and salt-cured, usually found in the refrigerated section near the ham or bacon. Because they are highly seasoned, no additional salt is needed in the pan.
From Cook Cuban in America.