Pork Chops in Adobo Sauce
These are some delicious bone-in Pork Chops slathered with Adobo Sauce made from Ancho chiles -- so good!
- Prep time
- 50 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 10 Ancho dried chiles
- 5-6 New Mexican or Guajillo dried chiles
- 8 peeled garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- pinch of sugar (optional)
- 1/4 cup vinegar (I used white vinegar)
- 1/4 cup stock (or water, or soaking liquid)
- splash of water
- 4 bone-in pork chops (approx. 2 lbs. total)
- 1 cup adobo sauce (total)
- 3/4 cup stock (or soaking liquid)
- salt to taste
- pinch of sugar (optional)
- 2-3 limes
- 2 quarts water
- 1/2 cup Kosher or sea salt
- olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Start by brining the pork chops. Add 2 quarts of water to a mixing bowl or casserole dish along with 1/2 cup of Kosher or sea salt. Stir well to dissolve the salt. Add the pork chops, cover, and brine in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- 2
Wipe off any dusty crevasses on the chiles using a damp towel. De-stem and de-seed the chiles, but don't worry about getting rid of every last seed.
- 3
I usually put the chile pieces in a 350F oven for 1-2 minutes to awaken some dormant flavors; you could also flash them on a hot, dry skillet for 15-30 seconds per side in place of the oven.
- 4
Add the chiles to a bowl and cover them with hot tap water. Let them reconstitute for 20-30 minutes. If they float to the surface you can use a small plate or bowl to keep them submerged.
- 5
Drain the chiles and add them to a blender, along with the remaining Adobo Sauce ingredients listed above.
- 6
Combine well; ideally you want a thick, paste-like substance so we are adding just enough liquid to get there. If it won't combine you can add another splash of water or soaking liquid.
- 7
Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat them dry. Add 1/2 cup adobo sauce to a bowl or pan and dredge the chops in the sauce, giving them a good layer of adobo paste.
- 8
Heat up a dollop of oil in a saucepan over mediumish heat. Add 1/2 cup adobo sauce along with 3/4 cup stock (or soaking liquid). Simmer until reduced down to a thicker consistency. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary.
- 9
Add the pork chops to a pre-heated grill and give each side a sear for 1-2 minutes over the hot part of the grill. Move the chops to a cooler part of the grill and cook until the inside temp registers 140-145F. This took about 10-12 minutes total for these chops. Once cooked, remove the chops from the heat and let them rest for a few minutes to seal in the juices.
- 10
Serve the pork chops with a squeeze of lime and give your friends and family the option of slathering more of the simmered adobo sauce on top. Enjoy!
- 11
Store leftover adobo paste in the fridge.