Plum Marinated Pork T-Bone Loin Chops

Heirloom Pork

SERVES: 4

Sometimes a marinade is more than a marinade and becomes the base for a great sauce. Fresh plums smack of summer’s bounty and are great with pork. Use a sweet, red-fleshed plum such as Santa Rosa, which has good color and rich fruit flavor. Because T-bone loin chops tend to be lean, make sure not to overcook them. Better still, use well-marbled chops from heirloom pork, such as Berkshire, if you can find them. You can also use pork tenderloin with this recipe. Note that the pork must marinate overnight.

INGREDIENTS:

FRESH PLUM MARINADE

• ½ cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup pitted and diced red-fleshed plums, such as Santa Rosa
• ½ cup prune juice
• ¼ cup pomegranate juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 4 1½- to 2-inch-thick pork T-bone loin chops

PLUM SAUCE:

• Reserved marinade
• ¼ cup plum preserves
• 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS:

FRESH PLUM MARINADE

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Place the chops in a large zipper-lock bag and pour in the marinade.
3. Seal the bag, place in a bowl to catch any leaks, and marinate the chops overnight in the refrigerator, turning them a few times to redistribute the marinade.
4. Remove the chops from the marinade, shaking off the excess. Set the marinade aside for the sauce. Let the chops stand at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling.

PLUM SAUCE

1. Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan.
2. Whisk in the plum preserves and bring to a boil, continuing to whisk, until the preserves have melted and the sauce just becomes syrupy.
3. Set aside until the chops are done. If the sauce cools, gently rewarm.
4. To serve, place the chops on a platter and ladle the sauce over the top. Drizzle with the sesame oil and sprinkle with the cilantro.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS:

• Any bone-in or boneless pork chop, pork tenderloin (whole or butterflied), or back ribs.

COOK’S NOTES:

• When you don’t feel like firing up the grill, you can cook these chops under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Make the sauce before you broil the chops. Just before they are done, brush on some of the sauce and broil for about 1 minute, until the sauce begins to bubble, then flip the chops and do the same on the other side.
• Take care not to burn the glaze. Serve with the remaining sauce.