Blackened Pork Chops
Submitted by bjstarla
Butter-dipped pork chops coated in a fiery Cajun spice blend and seared in a screaming hot cast-iron skillet until crusty and charred. Warning: this generates serious smoke and even more serious flavor.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minIf you’re not ready for smoke, you’re not ready for this recipe.
These pork chops get dunked in melted butter, then hit with a bold Cajun seasoning mix loaded with white pepper, black pepper, cayenne, dry mustard, garlic, and thyme.
They go into a cast-iron skillet that’s been heating for a solid eight minutes until it’s practically glowing, and in about four minutes flat you’ve got a charred, spicy, butter-soaked crust that shatters when you bite into it.
The author wasn’t kidding about the smoke. Close your windows, warn your neighbors, and fire up the outdoor burner if you’ve got one.
Kitchen Tips
- Let the chops come to room temperature before cooking. Cold meat in a ripping hot skillet means uneven cooking.
- Heat the cast iron until you almost see white ash forming on the bottom. If the pan isn’t hot enough, you’re just cooking pork chops, not blackening them.
- Don’t stack the finished chops on a platter or you’ll steam off that hard-earned crust.
- Seriously consider cooking this outdoors on a high-BTU burner. Indoor smoke alarms will not appreciate this recipe.
Ingredients
Directions
NOTE: The ¾ pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, must be kept melted and warm in the skillet.
Let the chops come to room remperature before blackening.
Combine the seasoning mix ingredients thoroughly in a medium-size bowl.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over very high heat until it is extremely hot and just short of the point at which you see white ash or a white spot forming in the skillet bottom, about 8 minutes.
(The time will vary according to the intensity of the heat source.) Heat the serving plates in a 250F oven.
Just before cooking each chop, dip it in the melted butter so that both sides are well coated, then sprinkle each side generously and evenly with the seasoning mix (use between ¼ and ½ teaspoon on each side), patting it in with your hands.
(If you lay the chop on a plate or other surface to season it, be sure the surface is warm so the butter won’t congeal and stick to the surface instead of to the chop. Wipe the surface clean after seasoning each chop. Use any remnaining seasoning mix in another recipe.)
Immediately place the chop in the hot skillet.
If the chop is very lean, pour about 1 teaspoon butter on top.
(Be careful, as the butter may flame up.) If you cook more than 1 chop at a time, place each chop in the skillet before buttering and seasoning another one.
Cook uncovered over the same high heat until the underside forms a crust, about 2 minutes (the time will vary according to the thickness of the chops and the heat of the skillet or fire).
Turn the chops over and pour about 1 teaspoon more butter on top of each, if needed.
Cook just until meat is done, about 2 minutes more.
Serve the chops crustier side up while piping hot.
Clean the skillet after cooking each batch and repeat the blackening procedure with the remaining chops.
To serve, place 2 or 3 chops on each heated serving plate.
If you use a serving plater, DO NOT STACK THE CHOPS.
If you do not have a heavy duty commercial range hood, capable of disposing of an incredible amount of smoke, DON’T cook this inside.
A good, 40, 000 BTU to 50, 000 BTU barbecue will do a good job of providing sufficient heat.
Be sure you have all your doors and windows closed, and invite your neighbors to the barbecue.
This method generates a totally unbelievable amount of smoke.
However, the results are worth it.
Whatever you are cooking by this method, it is an entirely incredible taste experience.
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