Jim's Woodford Reserve Bourbon Marinated French Rib Pork Chop

Ingredients

Relish:

• 1 small lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 green tomato, peeled and seeded
• 1/2 cup Kentucky pawpaw pulp, can substitute equal parts mango and papaya pureed together
• 1 mango, peeled and pitted
• 1/2 roasted red pepper, peeled and seeded
• 1/2 small red onion
• Kosher or sea salt

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup molasses (preferably Kentucky sorghum)
• 2 generous shots Kentucky Bourbon
• 2 tablespoons sweet chile sauce, available at Asian markets
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Sri Racha chile paste, available at Asian markets
• 4 (14 ounce) center cut pork rib chops, frenched

Fried Plantains (optional):

• 1 large or 2 small plantains
• 1 cup peanut, corn or safflower oil, for frying
• 1/4 cup Hot Country Ham Jus, recipe follows

Directions

For relish, combine lime juice, honey, cilantro, and cumin in a bowl. Dice tomato, pawpaw, mango, roasted pepper and onion to 1/4-inch squares. Add diced vegetable to lime juice mixture and toss. Season, to taste, with kosher or sea salt, and let stand at least 30 minutes and up to overnight in the refrigerator, tightly covered.

Preheat a grill to medium heat.

For the marinade, combine all ingredients and mix well. Grill pork chops to medium, about 10 minutes per side, brushing with marinade until juice runs clear when pressed or when an instant-read thermometer reads 150 degrees F. Slice plantains 1/8-inch thick. Fry in hot oil until lightly browned. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Sauce each plate with 1/4 cup hot country ham jus. Garnish with a generous soup spoonful of relish and crown with 2 slices fried plantains.

Hot Country Ham Jus:

• 1 country ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks
• 4 cups rich veal stock

Combine ham bone and stock in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer until reduced to 1 cup. Strain.

Yield: 1 cup

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The FN chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.