Lightly seasoned and juicy pork chops using Birch Q Sauce.
We enjoyed this main course with oven roasted potatoes, a family favorite. Yes, tonight I was the hero...until I informed them they were doing the dishes. Definitely this recipe can be used with a pork tenderloin roast instead of pork chops.
This recipe calls for Fennel Pollen, which is not exactly a household cooking spice. We were first introduced to this fabulous herb on our first trip to Italy while on tour with Culture Discovery Vacations. Fennel Pollen is derived from the harvested flowers of blooming fennel plants.
We fell in love with this little known spice and had to bring a jar home with us. It is available online if you do a google search for it. It tends to be expensive, but you don't need very much to pack a flavor punch. Also, be on the lookout for best quality versions so you get the best for your dollar. Good quality fennel pollen has a predominant yellow color as that is the color of the flowers. Lesser quality versions have a high proportion of stems as opposed to flowers which results in a grey/greener/darker appearance.
Fennel pollen has a licorice-y flavor of amped up fennel that goes so well with pasta sauces and meats, and is great in marinades. It just so happens to go really well with Birch Q Sauce. If you can get a hold of some, we highly recommend you try it.
Birch Basil Chops |
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Preheat: 400 F Serves: 6 Prep Time: 30 minutes |
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6 Medium Pork Chops 1/2 cup Birch Q Sauce 2 Tsp dried Basil 1 Tsp Fennel Pollen (Optional) 2 Tsp Kosher Salt |
Spread 1/4 cup of birch Q in the bottom of a 9x13 non-stick pan. Place pork chops on top of sauce, spread the remaining Birch Q Sauce over the top of the pork chops evenly. Sprinkle Basil and Fennel Pollen evenly over chops. Let marinade 30 minutes. Sprinkle Kosher Salt over meat and bake in the oven approximately 40 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the meat. |
Gravy |
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Drippings from the pork 1 Tbsp Corn starch 1/4 cup of water |
When meat is cooked, remove chops from pan. Place heat safe pan over stove on high heat and bring the meat drippings to a boil. Mix corn starch and water together and stir vigorously into the boiling sauce. Thicken to taste and serve over chops. |
Roasted Potato Wedges |
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4 cups raw Potato wedges 3 Tbsp Olive Oil 1 Tsp Black Pepper 1 Tsp Fennel Pollen 1 Tsp Basil 3 minced Garlic Cloves 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt |
Toss the potato wedges with the rest of the ingredients. Spread in a shallow pan. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. of Kosher Salt. Bake at the same time as the chops until soft and browned to your taste. |
Birch Cooking Tip:
Birch Q Sauce can be substituted with half the amount of Amber Birch Syrup. There will be less drippings for gravy in this case. Birch Q Sauce contains pure Canadian Birch Company Amber Birch Syrup which serves as a fast and effective meat tenderizer. Birch syrup sticks to the meat, sealing in the juices during the cooking process, making it perfect for grilling.