510312 Thu Apr 17 08:10:14 -0700 2008 5 31 Home Cooking 0 3603479 I recently received some organic, naturally raised pork chops and have no experience cooking natural pork vs. grocery store pork. Should I brine the natural pork as I would grocery pork or would that be overkill? What kind of spices, sauces or herbs would enhance the natural pork flavor? Any advice on cooking methods, length of cooking time, or degree of doneness would be appreciated! Thu Apr 17 08:10:14 -0700 2008 184382 artemis212 1 3603553 Lucky you. I'll never go back to factory farmed pork. Happy pigs make delicious pork. I say you don't need to brine. I like to braise them, sometimes after searing. Keep it simple. Juniper berries, thyme, chicken broth, and grapes are good flavors w/ pork. Thu Apr 17 08:28:55 -0700 2008 3603479 33755 NYchowcook 1 3603703 We get organic, naturally raised pork chops as part of a meat share, and we find that for fast cooking, they get tough with anything more than very quick, high-heat broil/grill/sear, which means you have to be ok with a juicy pink middle layer. We've braised them before (using a few different Marcella Hazan recipes), though, and they turned out beautifully. We avoid anything in between. Thu Apr 17 09:16:54 -0700 2008 3603479 183643 sfumato 1 3604960 I just made organic pork chops last night. After washing them, of course, I put them inbetween seran wrap and use the flat side of the meat-tenderizer and give them a couple pounds. Then I rub them with Italian seasoning, Spike and onion powder on both sides. Then I cook them in Medium-high heat with Olive oil. They always come out really pretty golden brown. I serve Beef rice, apple sauce and sauer kraut with mine and it's all really super delicious! :) Thu Apr 17 14:12:11 -0700 2008 3603479 172211 cremebrulee 1 3605588 Everything depends on the amount of marbling (fat not around the edge but in the grain of the meat). For well-marbled pork chops, any kind of cooking is fine, but with really lean pork you need to use a method that doesn't dry it out. For years, I've used a never-fail method that appeared in the New York Times years ago. For thick chops (1" or more), heat a heavy skillet and sear the fat on the edges, to get that part done and to render some fat for cooking. Rub the chops with salt and pepper and, using the rendered fat or a tablespoon or so of oil, sear the chops for 4 minutes on each side. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove the chops, deglaze the pan with a splash of water or wine (I use dry Vermouth) and reduce. When it starts to thicken, add a splash of cognac, flame it and pour it over and around the chops. Thu Apr 17 17:27:03 -0700 2008 3603479 10539 KRS 1 3605605 We have bought organic pork chops from our local farm for years. All you need to do is sprinkle them with salt & pepper, or any other seasoning blend you like ( I mix our own), grill outdoors or indoors on a grill pan and enjoy. Easy peasy. The best advice I can give is do not over cook them. Thu Apr 17 17:34:34 -0700 2008 3603479 75332 Gio