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Dirty Martini Pork Chops

This clever spin on a weeknight dinner uses olive brine and gin in the pan sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder chops (3/4 to 1 inch thick)
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes, divided
  • 8 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 1/4 cups pitted castelvetrano olives, plus 2 teaspoons olive brine, divided
  • 4 to 6 fresh red thai chiles
  • 4 fresh or dried bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup (2 ounces) gin
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

Instruction

  1. Sprinkle pork chops evenly with rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium until butter melts. Working in two batches, cook pork chops in a single layer, undisturbed, until bottoms are well browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook until other side is lightly browned and a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of meat registers 145°F, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer pork chops to a baking sheet; set aside. Do not wipe skillet clean.
  2. Add garlic to skillet; cook over medium, stirring often, until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add olives, chiles, and bay leaves; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in gin; cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet, until liquid is mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock, olive brine, and any juices that have accumulated on baking sheet with the seared pork chops. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces and thickens slightly, about 4 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and vinegar. Gradually whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until melted and emulsified. Return pork chops to skillet; cook, basting pork with sauce, until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

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