Food, Wine

A Delicious Pork Chop Recipe Inspired by Lodi’s Bounty

This Pork Chop recipe with Cherry Sauce is a perfect example of the saying “if it grows together, it goes together”.

The largest wine-growing region in California sits rather unpretentiously in the Central Valley. Situated near the Delta, the agricultural community of Lodi is home to some of the oldest Zinfandel vines in California and many other crops including stone fruits. This month’s recipe for Bone-in Pork Chops with Cherry Sauce is a perfect example of the saying “if it grows together, it goes together” — cherries and Zinfandel are a perfect pair. You’ll find the pork chop recipe below.

If you’re a Zinfandel lover, you’ve probably heard about Lodi. It’s always been a Zin lover’s paradise and some of the growers in Lodi shipped the majority of their grapes out to winemakers in other parts of the state. But Lodi’s high-quality vineyards have always been more than capable of producing excellent wines. Realizing this, in the last couple of decades more growers began holding back some of those grapes to produce their own wines. At the same time, other vintners from around California discovered the potential in Lodi and purchased their own vineyards there. Lodi’s Mediterranean climate with cooling Delta breezes means that the region is ideal for a huge diversity of wines.

Lodi is kind of happening right now. What you’ll find today is a fun and casual wine scene with lots of big, fruity Zinfandels to be sure. But there are also a surprising number of wineries that feature lighter, brighter reds as well as crisp whites. So even if big jammy wine isn’t your jam, you’ll be able to find something you love in Lodi where now more than 100 different varieties of winegrapes are grown.

Old Vines = Great Wines

Lodi is home to the largest concentration of old vines in the country. But what exactly is an “old vine” wine? Though there is some dispute as to how old is really old, it’s generally agreed that old vine wines come from own-rooted grapevines that have been in place for at least 50 years. Lodi has this in spades — in fact, there are even several vineyards that are over the century mark (centenarian vines are called “ancient”).

Old vine wine hits different. That’s because as the vines age they tend to have a lower yield. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because lower yields often mean the wine is more concentrated with complex flavors and aromas. Old vines are literally set in their ways. Because the vines are so deeply rooted, they typically have a very expressive terroir that reflects local soils, weather and climate.

So wines made from old vines really have a strong sense of place and are less easily influenced by the winemaker’s particular style.

When it Comes to Sustainability, California Rules

LODI RULES is a certification program for sustainable winegrowing that was started in 2005 by the Lodi Winegrape Commission. As one of the original sustainable viticulture certification programs in the country, it has been used as a model for other similar initiatives. LODI RULES is based on a set of sustainability measures such as protecting the natural environment, soil and water conservation and efforts to increase biodiversity. The overall aim is to ensure that Lodi remains a thriving winegrowing-region for generations to come.

There are many excellent wineries to visit in Lodi as well as farm-to-table restaurants — which in the Central Valley is more a way of life than a trend. You’ll also find plenty of U-pick orchards and farmstands where you can sample some of the area’s abundance. In the meantime, get a taste of Lodi right in your own kitchen.

Lodi is home to what is believed to be the world's oldest surviving Cinsault vineyard, as well as several 100+ year old Zinfandel vineyards. Lodi is also part of California’s agriculturally rich Central Valley, producing over 250 of California 400+ specialty crops. Lodi is well known for stone fruit production, including cherries. Pair this pork chop with a California Zinfandel or Cinsault.

Ingredients

2 10-oz. (283g each) bone-in pork chops
2 teaspoons (4g) kosher salt
1 teaspoons (2.3g) black pepper
2 tablespoons (28g) canola oil
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, smashed
4 sprigs fresh thyme

For the cherry sauce:

1 tablespoons (14g) unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
3 cups (330g) fresh cherries, stemmed, pitted and sliced in half
2 teaspoons (2g) fresh thyme leaves, chopped
½ cup (64g) dry red wine
3 tablespoons (45g) balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoons (21g) honey
1 tablespoons (8.5g) Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Remove pork chops from the fridge 30 minutes before you are ready to cook — this will help ensure they cook evenly. Pat them dry with a paper towel, then season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the canola oil to the pan, let it heat until it shimmers, then add the pork chops. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, ensuring a dark caramelization all over. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the unsalted butter, garlic cloves and thyme.
Once the butter has melted, carefully tilt the pan away from you so all the butter pools in one spot – use a thick kitchen towel or oven mitt to safely handle the skillet. Spoon the hot butter over the steaks, basting them continually for 1 minute.
Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of a pork chop to monitor the internal temperature and continue cooking over medium-low heat. Once it reads 145°F (62.7°C), remove the meat from the skillet and allow it to rest on a cutting board or plate while you make the cherry sauce.
For the cherry sauce:
Discard the thyme stems from the skillet, but do not wipe out the butter and garlic used in cooking the pork. Turn the heat up to medium, add in the remaining butter along with the minced shallot, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the shallot begins to soften.
Add the fresh cherries and the chopped thyme. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the cherries begin to soften and release their juices, add in the wine, balsamic vinegar, honey and mustard. Stir to combine and make sure that you scrape up any browned bits from the pork chops from the bottom of the pan.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. The wine will reduce and the cherries will burst and be super soft and juicy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the pork chops from the bones and slice against the grain, serving over the cherry sauce.

Zin and Cin — Two of Lodi’s Oldest Grapes

Zinfandel is America’s heritage grape (and Lodi is considered to be the Zin capital of the world thanks to its large concentration of Zinfandel vines and old vine Zins). It’s a big, bold and fruit-forward wine with dark berry and cherry flavors. But Zinfandel can also have some spice and tobacco notes as well. Because of this, it’s a great wine to pair with a wide variety of foods, especially barbecue and grilled foods, spicy foods and smoky or tangy cheeses.

Lodi is also home to the oldest surviving Cinsault vines in the world. Cinsault is a red Rhône varietal with smoky, floral and fruity notes of red currant, cherry, raspberry and violet. It’s classically paired with escargot, but works equally well with grilled or braised meats and rich cheeses.

About the Author

From an early age, Alison Needham has been pondering life's one big question — what's for dinner? She's been a content creator, recipe developer and food photographer for more than two decades. Alison lives in Southern California with her husband, an assortment of quirky pets and occasionally one (or all three) of her young adult children.

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