Pork Chop Meal Prep
Juicy spice crusted pork chop recipe with whipped caulifllower mash and braised kale.
amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "flavcity05-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_title = "My Amazon Picks"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "7c023fdce2260b0dbb2d103a864403e4"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B00006JSUC,B0000CDVD8,B0076NOI7A,B00063QBK4";
Ingredients
For the pork chops:
- 5 thick cut pork chops at least 1 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon Chinese five spice powder
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
For the cauliflower mash:
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked pepper
For the braised kale:
- 3 bunches of black/lacinato kale stems removed and roughly chopped
- 1 onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked pepper
- Olive oil or clarified butter
Instructions
-
Make the spice rub for the pork chops by combining the five spice powder with the paprika and cayenne, mix well. Season the pork chops with a generous pinch of salt and spice rub on both sides. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
-
Meanwhile, pre-heat a very large pot over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of butter or oil. Add the onions along with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a couple cracks of fresh pepper, cook for 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 3 more minutes. Add ½ the kale and the water and cook for a couple minutes so the kale wilts a little bit. Add the remaining kale and water and cook until kale has wilted by half, about 10 minutes. Add the tabasco and next 2 ingredients along with another 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring pot to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes greens are until wilted but still have a bite left. If the cooking liquid gets too thin, add more water. Check for seasoning, you may need more tabasco or sugar to fit your taste.
-
To make cauliflower mash, cut the head of cauliflower into florets and discard the stalks. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it with 1 teaspoon of salt. Boil the cauliflower florets with the garlic cloves for 10 minutes, you know it’s ready when you can mash the florets with a fork, but make sure not to over boil them so they get very mushy. Thoroughly drain the cauliflower and garlic and transfer them to a blender along with grated cheese, ¼ teaspoon of salt, a couple cracks of pepper. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Check for seasoning, it may need more salt or cheese.
-
To cook the pork chops, pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Pre-heat a large cast iron pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sear the pork chops for 2 minutes on one side. If you don’t have a large pan do this in two batches. Flip the pork chops and immediately transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes. If you have a probe thermometer, pull the chops when the internal temperature gets to 155 degrees F. Let the chops rest for 5 minutes if you want to eat them right away.
-
Plate your pork chops with some of the braised kale, cauliflower mash, and enjoy! Everything will last in the fridge for 5 days, but only the pork chops and mash can be frozen for 2-3 months. When time to re-heat, wrap the container in foil and place in a 400 F oven for 10-12 minutes. If using the microwave, cover the container with a wet paper towel.
-
Macros:
-
472 calories per meal
-
17.4 grams of fat per meal
-
50.4 grams of protein per meal
-
11 grams of carbs per meal
-
3.8 grams of fiber per meal
Recipe Notes
Macros:
472 calories per meal
17.4 grams of fat per meal
50.4 grams of protein per meal
11 grams of carbs per meal
3.8 grams of fiber per meal