Roasted Bacon Chop with St. John’s Chutney

Name: Roasted Bacon Chop with St. John's Chutney
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 5 granny smith apples (about 2 lbs.), peeled, cored, and cut into 1'' pieces; 4 tomatoes, preferably not quite ripe, cut into large pieces; 2 small yellow onions, peeled and chopped; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced; 20 pitted dates, coarsely chopped; 2 1 ⁄ 2 cups raisins; 2 Tbsp. finely chopped ginger; 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups white wine vinegar; 4 1 ⁄ 2 cups dark brown sugar; Bouquet garni (5 black peppercorns, 5 white peppercorns, 5 coriander seeds, 3 allspice berries, pinch each mace, celery seed, fennel seed, and mustard seed, and 2 bay leaves, tied in cheesecloth); 2 Tbsp. salt; 2 Tbsp. duck fat; 4 bacon chops; Salt and freshly ground pepper

Serves
serves 4

Smoked pork chops may be substituted for bacon chops. Leftover chutney will keep for up to a month refrigerated.

Ingredients

For Chutney (7 Cups)

5 granny smith apples (about 2 lbs.), peeled, cored, and cut into 1'' pieces
4 tomatoes, preferably not quite ripe, cut into large pieces
2 small yellow onions, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
20 pitted dates, coarsely chopped
2 ¹⁄₂ cups raisins
2 Tbsp. finely chopped ginger
1 ¹⁄₂ cups white wine vinegar
4 ¹⁄₂ cups dark brown sugar
Bouquet garni (5 black peppercorns, 5 white peppercorns, 5 coriander seeds, 3 allspice berries, pinch each mace, celery seed, fennel seed, and mustard seed, and 2 bay leaves, tied in cheesecloth)
2 Tbsp. salt

For the Chops

2 Tbsp. duck fat
4 bacon chops
Salt and freshly ground pepper

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Instructions

Step 1

To make chutney, place apples, tomatoes, onions, garlic, dates, raisins, ginger, 1⁄2 cup vinegar, sugar, bouquet garni, and salt in a large heavy-bottomed stainless-steel pot. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat. Continue cooking, gradually stirring in remaining vinegar over next 40 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chutney thickens, about 20 minutes more.

Step 2

Remove chutney from heat, cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (Chutney is best if made at least a day or two ahead.)

Step 3

To cook bacon chops, preheat oven to 400°. Heat duck fat in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper and sear, two at a time, for 2 minutes per side, then transfer to a roasting pan and roast until cooked through, about 7 minutes more. Serve chops with chutney and with boiled potatoes if desired.

To make chutney, place apples, tomatoes, onions, garlic, dates, raisins, ginger, 1⁄2 cup vinegar, sugar, bouquet garni, and salt in a large heavy-bottomed stainless-steel pot. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat. Continue cooking, gradually stirring in remaining vinegar over next 40 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chutney thickens, about 20 minutes more.
Remove chutney from heat, cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (Chutney is best if made at least a day or two ahead.)
To cook bacon chops, preheat oven to 400°. Heat duck fat in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper and sear, two at a time, for 2 minutes per side, then transfer to a roasting pan and roast until cooked through, about 7 minutes more. Serve chops with chutney and with boiled potatoes if desired.