Orange-Chipotle Pork Chops

Submitted by lazyme

"These simple pork chops have a sweet but spicy flavor. This dish requires a flambe, but if you cannot (or are afraid to do so), you can always add the orange liqueur to the marinade before you reduce it, though the result is not quite the same. From Jaime Ernesto Arrieta, San Salvador, El Salvador."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 10mins
• Ingredients: 5
• Serves: 2

ingredients

• 2 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, smoked if possible
• 1⁄2 cup orange juice
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo (canned)
• 1⁄4 1/4 cup Cointreau liqueur or 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
• 1 pinch salt

directions

1. In a blender or food processor, combine chipotles, salt and orange juice.
2. Place in a shallow dish together with pork chops and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
3. Take chops out of marinade; reserve marinade.
4. Put marinade in a small saucepan and reduce until 1/3 of the liquid remains, about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. In a frying pan, place pork chops and cook in medium-high heat until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
6. Take chops out of the pan, and drain any excess oil.
7. Put the pan on high heat and cook until no liquid remains and a glaze is formed on pan.
8. Take pan away from the heat and put the pork chops back on the pan.
9. Add the 1/4 cup orange liqueur and flambe.
10. When the flames die out take chops out of the pan and keep warm.
11. Put the pan back on the stove and add the reduced marinade.
12. Heat until starting to boil.
13. Put the chops in a serving platter and pour some sauce on top.
14. Enjoy.

Reviews

[FlyingCook]

This made for a quick and tasty pork chop. I made the sauce as written and it was just too hot. We ended up scraping it off the chops. Next time, I will make with half the amount of chiles and it should be perfect.

 

[TexasKelly]

Hubby & I thought this was a great recipe. I followed it exactly to the T. We don't have a gas grill so I had to carefully light the grand marnier with a match, and what a commotion it was to watch it burn off in the pan. I think next time I might have hubby cook the chops on his grill, then bring them inside for the flambe part, as we kind of like a crispy coating on our meat, which is best done on the grill. All in all, we loved this, and I will make it again. I think it would even taste good on shrimp or chicken. Thanks for posting.

 

[Heydarl]

This was a great meal for our dinner tonight & my first flambe experience - very cool! DH cooked the chops on the barbeque while I made the sauce on the stove. I added the chops to the sauce on the stove & flambed them. I thought the sauce was just a touch hotter than I would prefer, but DH loved it. The Grand Marnier gave it a lovely flavour. Made for Aus/NZ Recipe Swap #14 March 2008. Thanks lazyme for this keeper.

 

[Charlotte J]

These were absolutely fantastic and the aroma was to die for as they cooked! I used 2 of the chipotles and some of their sauce. I spooned about 1-2 tablespoons onto each chop, which was the perfect amount to not over heat your mouth. The triple sec and chipotles were a great combination. This was my first time at flambeing and it went well. It makes a very low flame in the pan. I will make these again. Made for *1 2 3 Hit Wonders* game 2008 I just found this on the web....The term flambe [flahm-BAY] is a French word meaning "flaming" or "flamed." Flambe means to ignite foods that have liquor or liqueur added. This is done for a dramatic effect and to develop a rich flavor of the liqueur to the foods without adding the alcohol. CAUTION: Please remember to use extreme caution here, you will be dealing with a liquid that is on fire; do not carry the dish while flaming, this is best done on a serving cart slightly away from your table. Keep a large metal lid on hand, to cover the dish in case your flambe gets out of hand. LIQUOR: Use a brandy or 80-proof liquor or liqueur. Liquors that are higher proof are too volatile when lit. Choose liquors or liqueurs that are complimentary to the food being cooked, such as fruit flavored brandies for fruits and desserts and whiskey or cognac for meats. HOW TO FLAMBE: * Heat the brandy or liquor in a saucepan, with high sides, just until bubbles begin to form around the edges. The boiling point of alcohol is 175 degrees F. (much lower than water). The liquor can also be heated in a microwave oven by heating 30 to 45 seconds in a microwave-proof dish at 100 percent power. * Use a flambe pan with rounded, deep sides and a long handle. Never pour liquor from a bottle into a pan that is near an open flame (the flame can follow the stream of alcohol into the bottle and cause it to explode). NOTE: If the dish doesn't light, it's probably not hot enough. The food to be flambeed must also be warm. Cold foods may cool down the warm liquor where it will not light. * Once you add the liquor to the pan, do not delay lighting. You don't want the food to absorb the raw alcohol and retain a harsh flavor. Ignite with a long match (such as fireplace matches or a long barbecue lighter). Always ignite the fumes at the edge of the pan and not the liquid itself. Never lean over the dish or pan as you light the fumes. * Let cook until flame disappears (at this point all alcohol has burned off). If you want to retain some of the alcohol flavor, cover flaming dish to extinguish flames or add additional wine or stock. * Serve the dish as soon as the flame disappears. HINTS: If you want the flames, but do not want the liquor in a dessert, soak sugar cubes in a flavored extract. Place the cubes around the perimeter of the dish and light.

 

[SusieQusie]

DH voted to give this one 10 stars since he had seconds. The flavors blended wonderfully – sweet and spicy as promised. I doubled the recipe except for the chipotles. Not deseeded, 4 would have been too hot even for us. After much deliberation and gathering of goggles, welding gloves and fire retardant clothing, I opted not to flambé. This scenario was in my mind - I would catch my hair on fire and when I took off running and screaming, I would trip over the cat, igniting her. Blazing, she would shoot up the drapes, run across the ceiling, jump onto the sofa, make a beeline for the bedroom and dart under the bed leaving a smoldering trail behind her; not to mention said newly-bald chef. My insurance agent sent me a thank you note for making this decision. Despite the non-flambéed status of my chops, they were marvelous! Thanks for sharing your recipe!