Smoked Pork Chops with Summer Succotash

Smoked pork chops are like ham on a bone; they’re purchased fully cooked and seasoned, so you don’t need to add salt. Just warm them up, and they are ready to serve. Reserve the end cut of a smoked loin for pea soup or baked beans.

 

Smoked Pork Chops with Summer Succotash

 

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz./75 g.) finely chopped yellow onion

2 1/2 cups (15 oz./470 g.) corn kernels (from about 4 ears)

1 cup (5 oz./155 g.) fresh or thawed frozen baby lima beans

1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml.) heavy cream

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 small plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (optional)

1 Tbs. canola oil

4 bone-in smoked pork chops, about 1 inch (2.5 cm.) thick

1-2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

 

In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 8-10 minutes. Add the corn, lime beans and cream and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens slightly, 10-15 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, if using. Remove from the heat.

 

While the succotash is cooking, remove the pork from the refrigerator and let stand for 30 minutes.

 

Place a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, season both sides of the chops with pepper. Add the chops to the pan without letting them touch and cook, turning once, until golden, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to very low and continue to cook the chops until they are no longer red in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a chop away from the bone registers 140 degrees F (60 degrees C), 2-7 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let rest, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for 3-5 minutes.

 

Taste the succotash and adjust the seasoning. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice or more to taste. Reheat if necessary. Arrange the chops and succotash on plates and serve at once. Serves 4.

 

Recipe from The Cook & the Butcher, by Brigit Binns.