Pork chop agrodolce is a classic Italian dish that combines the sweet and sour flavors of vinegar and sugar with the savory richness of pork chops. The result is a delightful dish that is sure to tantalize your taste buds. This article provides three variations on the traditional pork chop agrodolce recipe, each with its unique twist.
The first recipe is a classic pork chop agrodolce made with a simple sauce of vinegar, sugar, and spices. The second recipe adds a bit of heat with the addition of red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper. The third recipe takes a more modern approach with the use of balsamic vinegar and pomegranate molasses. All three recipes are easy to follow and can be made in under an hour. So whether you're looking for a classic Italian dish or something a little more modern, you're sure to find a recipe for pork chop agrodolce that you'll love.
PORK AGRODOLCE
Agrodolce, a generic Italian term for any type of sweet and sour condiment, really shines when used for braising chunks of succulent pork shoulder. This soul-warming comfort food is amazing served on rice, pasta, polenta, or, as seen here, a big pile of ricotta mashed potatoes. I'm not sure if Italians barbecue like we do here in the States, but the sauce very much reminded me of something we'd brush on a rack of ribs while sipping a cold beer.
Provided by Chef John
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 2h45m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Brush a baking dish with olive oil.
- Whisk tomato paste, vinegar, honey, mashed anchovy, green onions, garlic, rosemary, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper together in a large bowl to make the agrodolce.
- Cut pork shoulder into roughly 3-inch pieces. Add to the bowl of agrodolce and mix by hand until coated. Transfer pork and sauce to the prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven, flipping pieces over halfway through, until pork is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Add a splash of water if pork appears too dry. Skim off fat as desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 198.5 calories, Carbohydrate 6.5 g, Cholesterol 52.3 mg, Fat 12.9 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 13.8 g, SaturatedFat 4.6 g, Sodium 555.5 mg, Sugar 5.7 g
PORK AGRODOLCE WITH FENNEL AND WHITE BEANS
Grilled bone-in-pork chops brushed with agrodolce, an easy Italian sweet-and-sour sauce made with vinegar and honey, are served alongside cannellini beans in this summery weeknight dinner.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes
Time 40m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Heat grill to medium-high. Combine shallot and vinegar in a medium bowl. Stir together 2 tablespoons honey and 2 tablespoons oil. Toss fennel slices with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.
- Season pork with salt and pepper; brush grill grates with oil. Grill pork, flipping once and brushing both sides with honey mixture, until a thermometer inserted in thickest parts near (but not touching) bones registers 145 degrees, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil. Grill fennel slices, flipping once, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Stir beans and remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon honey into shallot mixture; season with salt and pepper. To serve, divide bean mixture, grilled fennel, and tomatoes among plates; top with pork. Sprinkle with fennel fronds.
PORK CHOPS WITH FIG AND GRAPE AGRODOLCE
Fresh figs and grapes cooked in balsamic vinegar and honey make an addictively sweet and sour sauce for pork chops in this seasonal fall dinner. A pleasantly bitter radicchio salad offsets all that sweet and sour in just the right way-you're going to want dip it in the sauce as you eat.
Provided by Anna Stockwell
Categories Gluten-Free and Fresh Wheat/Gluten-Free Dinner Pork Pork Chop Radicchio Grape Fig Rosemary Fall
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Season pork chops on both sides with 1 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper.
- Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over high. Working in batches if needed, sear pork chops until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet; reserve pan drippings in skillet. Roast pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 135°F, about 15 minutes. Let pork rest 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat skillet with drippings over medium-high. Add vinegar and cook, scraping up drippings with a wooden spoon. Stir in red pepper flakes, if using, 2 Tbsp. honey, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Add grapes, figs, and rosemary and stir to coat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and fruit is softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
- Whisk lemon juice, mustard, and remaining 3 Tbsp. oil, 1 tsp. honey, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Add radicchio and parsley and toss to coat.
- Divide radicchio salad and pork chops among plates. Top with agrodolce.
SPICED PORK CHOPS WITH SWEET AND SOUR GLAZE (AGRODOLCE)
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Pork: In a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, to taste, and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes. Add the pork to the pan and cook until cooked through. for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or Remove the pork from the pan, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.
- Glaze: In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, honey, garlic, scallions, and rosemary to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the honey has dissolved. Simmer for 9 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Arrange the pork chops on a platter and drizzle with the glaze.
PORK CHOPS IN CHERRY-PEPPER SAUCE
You can use this sauce - spicy and fragrant and slightly syrupy, what the Italians call agrodolce - on pork chops as I call for here, or on veal chops, on steaks, on chicken. I bet it'd be good on grilled seitan or drizzled over tofu. The recipe is reminiscent of the cooking at red-sauce emporia like Bamonte's in Brooklyn, Rao's in Manhattan, Dominick's in the Bronx and, I hope, Carbone in Greenwich Village, where I first learned how to put it together at the elbow of the chef Mario Carbone. Serve with spaghetti dressed in butter and Parmesan, with garlic bread, with a spoon so you can slurp what's left on the plate. "It's a flavor that's purely Italian-American," Carbone told me. "You won't find it in Italy, no way."
Provided by Sam Sifton
Categories easy, meat, one pot, steaks and chops, main course
Time 45m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Make the sauce: Drain the cherry peppers, reserving 1 cup brine, then stem, halve, core and seed them. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, and swirl the olive oil into it. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic, and sauté, stirring frequently, until it begins to color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the peppers, the reserved brine and the white wine, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the liquid has reduced by slightly more than half, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. (The sauce can be made a few hours ahead of time.)
- When you're ready to cook the meat, season it aggressively with salt and pepper. Place a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, and swirl the neutral oil into it. When the oil begins to shimmer, place the meat in the pan, working in batches if needed, and sear until the meat has browned, formed something of a crust and cooked through to medium-rare, 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Transfer the chops to a warmed platter.
- Add the sauce to the large, heavy-bottomed skillet in which you seared the meat, and warm over medium-low heat. Whisk the butter into the sauce until evenly distributed and the sauce develops a velvety sheen. Spoon sauce over chops, and garnish with parsley.
Tips:
- Choose thick, bone-in pork chops so that they remain juicy after cooking.
- Make sure the pork chops are at room temperature before cooking to ensure even cooking.
- Sear the pork chops in a hot skillet to create a flavorful crust and prevent the meat from drying out.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the pork chops are cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for medium-rare, or 160°F (71°C) for medium.
- Allow the pork chops to rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
- Serve the pork chops with the agrodolce sauce and garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
- To make the agrodolce sauce ahead of time, simply combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Allow the sauce to cool completely and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Conclusion:
Pork chops agrodolce is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. The combination of sweet and sour flavors in the agrodolce sauce is sure to please everyone at the table. Serve this dish with your favorite sides, such as mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or rice.
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