Dry aged pork chops are a delicious and flavorful cut of meat that can elevate any meal. However, cooking them can be a bit intimidating for some.
Fear not, as we have gathered some expert tips and techniques to help you cook the perfect dry aged pork chop every time. Whether you prefer grilling, sous vide, or pan-roasting, we’ve got you covered.
So, grab your apron and let’s get cooking!
How To Cook Dry Aged Pork Chops?
Grilling:
To grill dry aged pork chops, start by oiling and rubbing both sides of the chops. Let them come to room temperature while you cook the apples. Peel, core, and dice the apples into thick chunks and place them in a cold cast iron pan on the bottom grate of the grill. Cook until tender, then add sugar and cinnamon to the apples and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Remove the apple compote from heat and cover it.
Place the chops on the top grill grate and cook for 8-10 minutes on each side or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. This will give you a juicy and flavorful pork chop with a nice charred exterior.
Sous Vide:
To sous vide dry aged pork chops, set your sous vide precision cooker to 53°C / 127.4°F and let them cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes until the pork gives with a pinch of your fingers through the bag. The temperature is low for pork, so ensure it goes into a hot pan to finish.
Pan-Roasting:
To pan-roast dry aged pork chops, start by patting them dry with a paper towel. Season generously on all sides with sugar and salt to taste. Transfer to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours or up to 24.
The next day, preheat your oven to 250°F and place the baking sheet with pork chops in the oven. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chops registers 100 to 110°F for medium-rare or 110 to 120°F for medium. This should take about 30-35 minutes.
Remove from oven and heat oil in a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place pork chops in skillet and cook, turning occasionally until starting to brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add butter, shallots, and thyme to skillet. Continue cooking, spooning shallots and thyme on top of chops and basting with butter until golden brown on both sides and well-crusted, about 2 minutes longer.
Stack pork chops with tongs, hold them on their sides, and sear the fat caps on the edges until crisp, about a minute. Remove pan from heat, transfer chops to a clean rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
Understanding Dry Aged Pork Chops
Dry aged pork chops are becoming increasingly popular due to their enhanced flavor and tenderness. This aging process involves exposing the meat to cold, circulating air for an extended period of time, which gently dehydrates it and concentrates its flavor. This process also tenderizes the meat by allowing naturally occurring enzymes to break down the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into super-flavorful sugars and amino acids.
When cooking dry aged pork chops, it is essential to keep in mind that they are different from traditional pork chops. These chops have a more intense flavor, increased tenderness, and fat that melts in your mouth. Therefore, it is important to cook them properly to ensure that they retain their unique characteristics.
One way to cook dry aged pork chops is by grilling them. Before grilling, oil and rub both sides of the chops and let them come to room temperature while you cook some apples on a cast iron pan on the bottom grate of the grill. Once the apples are tender, add sugar and cinnamon to them and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Then, place the chops on the top grill grate and cook for 8-10 minutes on each side or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Another way to cook dry aged pork chops is by sous vide. Set your sous vide precision cooker to 53°C / 127.4°F and let them cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes until the pork gives with a pinch of your fingers through the bag. The temperature is low for pork, so ensure it goes into a hot pan to finish.
Lastly, pan-roasting is another popular method of cooking dry aged pork chops. Pat them dry with a paper towel and season generously on all sides with sugar and salt. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours or up to 24. Preheat your oven to 250°F and place the baking sheet with pork chops in the oven. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chops registers 100 to 110°F for medium-rare or 110 to 120°F for medium. Then, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place pork chops in skillet and cook until starting to brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add butter, shallots, and thyme to skillet. Continue cooking until golden brown on both sides and well-crusted.
Preparing Dry Aged Pork Chops For Cooking
When preparing dry aged pork chops for cooking, it is important to take some extra steps to ensure maximum flavor and tenderness. First, pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and season generously on all sides with sugar and salt to taste. Place them on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours or up to 24.
The dry aging process allows the enzymes in the meat to break down the muscle fibers, resulting in a more tender and flavorful chop. By seasoning and refrigerating the chops ahead of time, you allow the flavors to penetrate the meat and enhance its natural richness.
When ready to cook, there are several methods to choose from depending on your preference. Grilling provides a nice charred exterior while sous vide cooking ensures even cooking throughout the chop. Pan-roasting is a great option for achieving a well-crusted exterior while keeping the interior juicy and tender.
No matter which method you choose, be sure to let the chops rest for a few minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. This will result in a more succulent and flavorful chop that is sure to impress your guests.
Grilling Dry Aged Pork Chops
Grilling dry aged pork chops requires a bit of preparation to ensure they come out juicy and flavorful. First, it’s important to choose chops that are at least 3/4 to 1 inch thick and have some fat marbling, like Compart Duroc pork chops. Thinner chops will cook too quickly and become tough and flavorless.
Once you have your chops, oil and rub both sides of them and let them come to room temperature while you cook the apples. Peel, core, and dice the apples into thick chunks and place them in a cold cast iron pan on the bottom grate of the grill. Cook until tender, then add sugar and cinnamon to the apples and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
Next, place the chops on the top grill grate and cook for 8-10 minutes on each side or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. It’s important not to use high heat when grilling pork, as it can become tough. Setting up your grill for indirect grilling is a good way to go. You can put a quick sear on both sides of the chop and then move it to the indirect-heat area for slower cooking.
Remember to let the chops rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. With these tips, you’ll have perfectly grilled dry aged pork chops that are sure to impress.
Sous Vide Dry Aged Pork Chops
Dry aged pork chops are a delicious and flavorful cut of meat that can be perfectly cooked using the sous vide method. Sous vide cooking involves placing the pork chops in a vacuum-sealed bag and cooking them in a precisely controlled water bath at a low temperature for an extended period of time.
To start, set your sous vide precision cooker to 53°C / 127.4°F and let the dry aged pork chops cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes until the pork gives with a pinch of your fingers through the bag. The temperature is low for pork, so ensure it goes into a hot pan to finish. Once the cooking time is complete, remove the pork chops from the bag and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Next, heat oil in a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place the pork chops in the skillet and cook, turning occasionally until starting to brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add butter, shallots, and thyme to the skillet. Continue cooking, spooning shallots and thyme on top of chops and basting with butter until golden brown on both sides and well-crusted, about 2 minutes longer.
Finally, stack the pork chops with tongs, hold them on their sides, and sear the fat caps on the edges until crisp, about a minute. Remove the pan from heat, transfer the chops to a clean rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, and let them rest for 3 to 5 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat and ensure that it is tender and juicy.
Sous vide cooking is a great way to cook dry aged pork chops because it allows you to cook them to a precise temperature without overcooking or drying them out. By following these simple steps, you can create a delicious and flavorful meal that will impress your family and friends.
Pan-Roasting Dry Aged Pork Chops
Pan-roasting is a great way to cook dry aged pork chops, as it allows you to create a delicious crust on the exterior while keeping the inside juicy and tender. To start, pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and season them generously on all sides with sugar and salt to taste. Then, transfer them to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours or up to 24.
The next day, preheat your oven to 250°F and place the baking sheet with pork chops in the oven. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chops registers 100 to 110°F for medium-rare or 110 to 120°F for medium. This should take about 30-35 minutes.
Once the pork chops are cooked in the oven, it’s time to sear them in a hot pan. Heat oil in a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Then, place the pork chops in the skillet and cook, turning occasionally until starting to brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add butter, shallots, and thyme to the skillet. Continue cooking, spooning shallots and thyme on top of chops and basting with butter until golden brown on both sides and well-crusted, about 2 minutes longer.
To finish off the pan-roasting process, stack the pork chops with tongs, hold them on their sides, and sear the fat caps on the edges until crisp, about a minute. Remove the pan from heat, transfer chops to a clean rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving. The result will be a mouth-watering dry aged pork chop with a flavorful crust that is sure to impress your dinner guests.
Tips For Achieving Perfectly Cooked Dry Aged Pork Chops
1. Choose the right cut: Dry aged pork chops are best made from bone-in cuts that are at least 3/4 to 1 inch thick. This ensures that the meat stays juicy and flavorful during cooking.
2. Dry brine the chops: Dry brining involves rubbing salt and seasonings directly onto the chops and letting them rest in the refrigerator for a bit before cooking. The salt draws out the meat juices through osmosis and then dissolves into the juices, turning into a “natural” brine that is reabsorbed into the meat, breaking down tough muscle proteins to help achieve pork chop perfection.
3. Reverse sear: This technique involves cooking the meat in a low temperature environment until it reaches 10-15 degrees below your target cooking temperature, then searing in a hot pan to finish. This ensures that the meat is evenly cooked throughout and has a nice crust on the outside.
4. Watch the heat: Pork doesn’t like high heat, so it’s important to cook dry aged pork chops at a moderate temperature. Setting up your grill for indirect grilling or using a sous vide precision cooker are great ways to ensure that the heat is controlled and even.
5. Let it rest: After cooking, let the pork chops rest for a few minutes before cutting into them. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful chop.
By following these tips, you can achieve perfectly cooked dry aged pork chops that are juicy, flavorful, and sure to impress your guests.