Puerto Rican Cancan Pork Chop

Ingredients

• 1 kg Pork chop containing loin, belly, and skin (Each chop is intended to be a little over 1 kilogram; skin scored before cooking.)
• Salt (For seasoning; use generously between the nooks and crannies of the scored skin.)
• Recaito (Puerto Rican base seasoning; apply generously. The chef describes it as a mixture of onion, ají dulce, garlic, and dried oregano made into a powder.)
• Black pepper (Mixed with the coriander for seasoning.)
• Coriander (Mixed with black pepper for seasoning.)
• Cooking oil (Used for slow-frying the skin and then searing the pork; amount not stated.)
• Pork bones (For the pork jus; quantity not stated.)
• Water (For the pork jus; quantity not stated.)
• Culantro oil (For finishing the plated pork; also called cilantro oil in the transcript. Quantity not stated.)

Steps

1. 1

   Start with a pork chop that includes the loin, belly, and skin. The restaurant aims for each chop to weigh a little over 1 kilogram.

2. 2

   Using a sharp box cutter or similar blade, score the skin all the way down the side. Score through the skin and fat without removing the skin. The scoring allows the fat to render and the skin to puff and become frilly and crisp.

3. 3

   Season the pork with salt, working it into the nooks and crannies of the scored skin.

4. 4

   Place the pork in a pan with oil over low heat. Cook the skin slowly and patiently so the small sections become crispy and crunchy. Listen for the water escaping from the skin as it puffs; continue until the skin is puffy, crispy, and golden.

5. 5

   Increase the heat and make the oil hotter for searing. Sear the pork quickly until golden, then flip it and sear the other side to develop a flavorful browned Maillard crust.

6. 6

   Transfer the seared pork to a rack. Season it generously with recaito, then season the other side with a mixture of black pepper and coriander.

7. 7

   Roast the pork in a 400°F / 205°C oven until the loin reaches 145°F / 63°C, which the chef describes as about medium. Monitor the temperature with a thermometer as it cooks.

8. 8

   While the pork cooks, make the jus by boiling pork bones in water until the liquid is flavorful. Reduce the liquid to concentrate it.

9. 9

   Remove the pork from the oven when the loin reaches the target temperature. Rest it for about 7 minutes.

10. 10

    Remove the bone from the rested pork, then slice the pork chop.

11. 11

    Place the sliced pork on a plate and pour the accumulated juices back over the meat.

12. 12

    Finish with pork jus and a little culantro oil. Serve immediately.

Notes

The source does not provide exact amounts for the salt, recaito, black pepper, coriander, oil, pork bones, water, or culantro oil. It also does not give a precise frying duration; cook the skin slowly until visibly puffed, crisp, and golden. The chef explains that culantro is also known as rakau or sawtooth coriander and has a stronger flavor than cilantro.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Caribbean
• Puerto Rican
• pork
• pan-fried
• roasted
• gluten-free
• high-protein