Pork Chops simmered in milk – an unexpected surprise

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Whull, this turned out a heck of a lot better than I figured. I had planned on doing a basic pan seared porky chop dinner that would finish in the oven. Something with browny pork goodness that was quick and darned tasty. Well, as quick as you could slice a jalapeno pepper I decided to finish the chops in milk, in the oven. An unexected surprise indeed!



If it wasn’t for the fact these snapshots came out, we wouldn’t be here today. I had absolutely no plans to cook the chops this way, let alone post about it. The images came out and the food was rich, juicy and produced a sauce good enough to cover taters and a green vegetable or two.
This is a recipe in progress. Sure it came out really good, but I’d like to find a synergism of pork pulled at 138 and the milk broken/reduced a little more. Okay, it broke fine, but could have used a bit less liquid. And the chops were cooked too long, I did ’em to 45 minutes. Maybe next time pull chops at 138 and reduce liquid separately?
Preheat oven to 350 or 375, I haven’t decided on which yet. I’m thinking 350 may be better so the milk doesn’t burn.
Salt then dust your chops with flour. Install in crazy hot cast iron skillet with enough oil to get a sautee going. Sear meat just enough to bring some color to the table.
While chops are cooking, very finely slice enough onions to lightly cover bottom of casserole and a little to garnish top. Smoosh 2 or 3 cloves of fresh garllic, add to bottom with onions. One wants something on the bottom of the casserole to make sure the milk and heat can get under the chops.
Install to oven on bottom rack for 20 to 30 minutes. I tried covering the tray with foil for half of the time, but I don’t think that is necessary. The milk needs time to reduce and it can’t do that with a lid on it. Plus you want to make sure the onions get all sweet and the garlic gets all roasty tasting. Baste or not, it’s up to you, hey.

Holy crabnuts batman. It doesn’t take long and the flavors make you smile. The milk reduces and mixes with the pork, onion & garlic to give you this rich and lightly creamy sauce for the rest of your meal. This I like a lot because, it’s all about the gravy. I came to this snap decision based upon the total success of the Arrosto Di Maiale Al Latte. Oh man, that was good too.
Do this today and your pork will thank you.
Biggles
ps – “Do this today and your pork will thank you.” That don’t make a damned bit of sense Biggles. I know, shaddap.

42 thoughts on “Pork Chops simmered in milk – an unexpected surprise”

  2. Looks damned tasty, please keep us posted if you figure out a way to make it better. Couple ideas off the top of my head to help that meat/milk cooking time balance:
    -preheat the milk/onions/garlic while you are searing the meat
    -start with cold (right out of the fridge) pork chops. Should have no trouble searing as long as your pan is crazy hot, and the milk should make it so they cook through evenly despite being chilly to start.

  3. I can see this! But, I would never have thought of it.
    What kind of milk are we talking about, though? There are so many kinds of milk out there and from so many different animals too!
    There is the Zero fat content milk; milk that is so totally fat that it is like sipping unwhipped whip cream and all the regular cow’s milk in-between.
    Would goat’s milk work even?
    Okay, professor, what kind of milk did you use?

  4. My mother used to make something very similar to this only she put raw slices of potato under the pork chops. Yummy.

  6. I’m going to live in your garage before I leave for Round 2. I’ll eat out of your trash cans, because I’m sure even that would be tasty.

  8. Hey Rory,
    Yeah, done the cold meat thing. And while it’s doable, I’ve found it a bit to unpredictable to offer up as a recipe. It’ll just take some practice, tee hee.
    Biggles

  9. Hey Babs,
    You know darned well I don’t deal in low fat crap. That 1% and skim milk is total crap and a waste of money. It’s white water and nothing more. Pour water over your cereal and save some money.
    Goat’s milk? Hey, now you’re talkin’!
    Biggles

  10. Hey Kalyn,
    That would most certainly make a nice meal. I find I like to steam my veggies and starches to add after such things. The tater will suck up any salt and cause me to douse said meal later on.
    Biggles

  12. Dammit Chile,
    You caught me. Nothing green has been cooked or eaten here in a few days. I thought I could carry a front.
    I like the leftover roast turkey. In the last days, all I did was simmer the gravy with meat parts in it. That was all we needed!
    Whar’s the fiber?
    Biggles

  13. Yikes, my already bad cholesterol went up 20 points reading your post. I’d kill to be able to eat it. 🙁

  15. Interesting concept. I’ve seen similar things in some carnitas recipes. And Doc, I agree with you on the skim milk issue. B.C.

  17. I wonder how this would turn out using heavy cream and mix a little sherry or port into the dish either before cooking or just after it comes out of the oven. Looks like pork chops the next few nights so I can try this recipe as is and with the port.

  18. Hey Greg,
    It’s always worth a try. But it might be a bit rich. You may want to cover it for some time so you don’t get the moisture in the cream and sherry to reduce too much.
    Let us know.
    Biggles

  19. There’s a recipe in Aidell’s book “Meat” for pork simmered in milk (and capers I think). It’s been on “to try” list. You may have bumped it up to the top, except I did 2 pork roast recipes last week and we may need a break from pork.

  21. Hey Ellen,
    A break from pork? Eh?
    It’s good to see you! Hope all is going well, keeping warm here.
    Mebbe next week for the pork simmered in milk?
    Biggles

  23. The cream and sherry did turn out great -but very rich. I was reminded of a French recipe for pork roast with the end results. The best was the recipe as you posted it. I will leave the cream and sherry to the folks in France.

  24. Hey Greg,
    Gee, did I call that one or whut?
    I say, start out with what you see, then start changing things.
    It’s tough, I know. Not for the usual reasons, but because this whole thing is painfully simple. You can’t resist sticking your fangers in there. Hang back until you get it.
    Biggles

  26. Hey June,
    Well, yah. Yummy too! But using milk gives a completely different set of flavors and textures, something worth a shot at least once.
    Bigles

  27. jUST READD ABOUT THE PORK CHOPS IN MILK. sOUNDS GOOD AND CAN’T WAIT TO GET TO THE jEWEL FOR SOME GOOD PORK CHOPS. pROBABLY WILL DO THIS OVER THE WEEKEND. iT’S COLD HERE AND THE OVEN BEING ON HELPS KEEP US WARM! My mouth is watering already!

  28. All I have to say is, this sounds awesome, I pulled out chops and I am trying it tonight. The whole crabnuts thing made me cry, I was laughing so hard.

  30. Dr. Biggles, Ok, I obviously did something very wrong! They didn’t taste bad and were super moist, but not the party my palate was expecting. Any suggestions?

  31. Hey Kalen,
    You didn’t mention exactly what you were expecting, but VERY wrong? Were you expecting something a lot deeper in rich flavors? That might be it and while this dish does deliver, it won’t stand a chance against this one:
    http://www.meathenge.com/archives/000993.html
    There’s a link there for the originating recipe, I would try that one first. This one is where the pork is braised entirely in milk. This will render you a load of flavors that the pork chop dish can’t do. Sorry!
    Biggles

  32. Was searching the web for a different way to cook chops! Well the chops are out of the freezer and it’s chops with milk tonight. Sounds wonderful.

  33. I cook pork in milk with great success. Instead of the traditional seasonings, try it with three different peppers – pablano, serrano, and jalapeno, slivered and heated in the milk with some coarse salt and cracked pepper. After the chops are seared (I do them in garlic, salt and pepper along with a little cinnamon) I pour the pepper milk over the pork and although I simmer mine, I’ll bet you could do it really slowly in a 275 oven.

  35. I fry my pork chops with salt pepper and garlic powder in olive oil then when its almost done I put some milk and let it reduce to glace the pork chops, This is heaven ….. hedda budda … ho ho ho . good food.

  36. Dude, I didn’t have the stuff for the casserole, so I just did the pork chops, only I added some cane sugar (sugar in the raw) to it after the salt but before the flour, and I didn’t know how I lived before that! Incredible! I think I’ll try that for chicken. THANK YOU!!!

  38. Hey biggles
    I made this tonight after reading the easy instructions (Seal! Oven! 30min! Music to the ears of a tired mother!). I think should have taken them out a bit earlier but they were also only supermarket boneless chops so they were never going to be that juicy. I fiddled a little: quickly sauteed onions and garlic, added a couple of sage leaves, and then deglazed pan wtih a splash of white wine before adding the milk. Delicious flavour and really sweet-savoury onions. I promise to try with real meat very soon.

  39. Hey Kookie,
    YES, and that’s great, it’s good to hear someone is out there giving it a try. Ya know, depending on the market the chops could very well be just fine. It’s usually the thickness of the chop that makes the difference, try for 1 inch thick or a little more. Try to get the ones with the bones in the chops. That should do the trick!
    xo, Biggles

  40. “Baked” and “milk” made me think of warmth and yummy sweet-smelling things, so I added a little brown sugar and cinnamon to the chops and lined the pan with potatoes instead of onions. It was absolutely delicious – the epitome of comfort food. Next time, though, I’ll try it on a day that isn’t 80 degrees!

  41. Hey Jennifer!
    Great news and congrats on the excellent execution. 80 degrees? Lordy, it’s been pouring rain here and the ski lifts are opening up for Memorial Day weekend!
    xo, Biggles

  42. My mother made something similar to this when I was a child.. I’ve looked for a recipe similar for a long time, but was never able to find anything that looked just right. I’m happy to say I think I’ve finally found it! I am so excite to try it, now my husband will finally know what I’m talking about..
    -Amy
    Kitchen Scales