Grilled Pork Chops with Fennel & Potatoes

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27 October 2021 BY Julie Biuso
SERVES: 4

The success of this dish depends on the quality of the pork chops. Thinly cut chops will dry out, so choose evenly sliced plump chops.

Ingredients

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600g (1 lb 3 oz) floury potatoes (agria are good) 2 medium-large fennel bulbs (about 500g / 1 lb) ½ cup dry white wine 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Flaky sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Fennel sprigs to garnish, optional 2 Tbsp creamy-style Dijonnaise mustard 1½ Tbsp olive oil 2-3 sprigs rosemary and sage 4 thickly-sliced fresh pork chops

Method

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1 Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. Trim fennel bulbs and cut into large wedges. Put vegetables in a shallow roasting tin, add wine and oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss vegetables with a large spoon until glistening.

2 Cook for 50-60 minutes, turning vegetables 2-3 times, or until tender and lightly golden. If the potatoes are slow to brown – ideally you want tender flesh with crisp edges– increase oven heat and cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with torn fennel sprigs before serving.

3 For the chops, mix mustard and oil in a shallow dish, add plenty of freshly ground pepper and the rosemary and sage, then turn chops in the mixture until evenly coated. Cover and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.

4 Preheat a barbecue grill to medium-high. Cook chops for about 4 minutes a side with the lid down, then turn them on their sides to sizzle the fat briefly. Transfer to a plate – don’t stack them, keep them in one layer – and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately with baked fennel and potatoes.

Recipe Notes

Overcooked pork is dry and tough and hard to digest. It is perfectly safe to eat pork while it is juicy and blushing pink – and that’s what you should aim for.