Tomahawk Pork Chop With Fontina Grits and Charred Broccolini
Recipe courtesy of Christine Hazel, Executive Chef, Huntingdon Valley Country Club (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.)
Ingredients
- Ingredients for pork chop:
- hot water - 4 qts.
- brown sugar - 1 ½ cup
- kosher salt - 3 Tbsps.
- bourbon - ½ cup
- bourbon vinegar or apple cider vinegar - ½ cup
- bone-in pork chops - 10 ea., 14 to 16-oz., frenched
- oranges - 4 ea., quartered
- thyme - 20 sprigs
- garlic cloves - 20 ea.
- black peppercorns - ½ cup
- Ingredients for fontina grits:
- water - 6 cups
- milk - 3 cups
- heavy cream - 3 cups
- butter - 8 Tbsps. , cubed
- kosher salt - 2 ½ tsp.
- ground white pepper - 1 tsp.
- stone ground grits - 2 cups
- fontina cheese - 1 lb., finely grated
- Ingredients for charred broccolini:
- broccolini - 5 bunches, trimmed
- blood orange olive oil - ½ cup
- crushed red pepper - ½ tsp.
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
- Ingredients for paprika oil:
- olive oil - 2 cups
- smoked paprika - 3 Tbsps.
- Ingredients for green oil:
- tarragon leaves - 2 cups, packed
- olive oil - 2 cups
- lemon juice - 2 Tbsps.
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
Instructions
Procedure for pork chop:
- Mix the water, brown sugar, salt, bourbon and vinegar together to create the brine.
- Place the pork chops in individual vacuum-seal bags.
- In each bag, place an orange quarter, 2 sprigs of thyme, two garlic cloves and 3 to 4 peppercorns. Pour the brine mixture over the pork until submerged. Vacuum-seal each bag.
- Set the temperature of the immersion circulator to 135°F.
- Once the temp is reached, drop the bagged pork chops into the water bath and let cook for three hours. Remove the bags from the water bath and cool rapidly.
- To serve, remove the pork from the bag and pat dry. Turn the grill on high heat. Drizzle a neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, over the pork, then season with salt and
pepper. Sear for 1 minute on high heat until you can see grill marks. Turn the chop 90 degrees to achieve a hatch-grill mark. Flip and repeat on the other side. Place on a sizzle platter and bake in 350°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes, until medium or medium-rare.
Procedure for fontina grits:
- In a large sauce pot, combine the water, milk, heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of butter, salt and white pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Slowly add grits, whisking constantly.
- Cook for approximately 1 hour, constantly stirring. Make sure the grits do not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Remove from heat and add the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter as well as the grated fontina. Mix thoroughly.
Chef’s Note: If the grits are too thick, loosen them with milk and re-season.
Procedure for charred broccolini:
- In a mixing bowl, toss broccolini, olive oil and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grill the broccolini on each side for 6-7 minutes to achieve a char. Remove the broccolini from the grill and set aside.
Procedure for paprika oil:
- Bring the olive oil to a simmer in a sauce pot for approximately 3 minutes. Place the smoked paprika in a heat-safe/airtight container. Pour the olive oil over the paprika and allow the paprika to steep for 15 minutes.
- Strain the olive oil/paprika mixture through a chinois lined with cheesecloth. Season with salt.
Procedure for green oil:
- In a blender, combine all the ingredients. Purée until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Strain through a cheesecloth-lined chinois twice.
To plate:
- Spoon grits into the center of the plate.
- Place 2 to 3 pieces of charred broccolini on top of grits.
- Rest the pork chop at a 45-degree angle on top of the broccolini.
- Drizzle the green oil and paprika oil around the perimeter of the plate. Serve.
