Brined Pork Porterhouse with Dried Fig Saba Sauce
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 741
- Total Fat
- 53
- Saturated Fat
- 18
- Carbohydrates
- 19
- Dietary Fiber
- 3
- Sugar
- 14
- Protein
- 46
- Cholesterol
- 140
- Sodium
- 1001
- Total: 1 day 2 hr 10 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Inactive: 1 day 1 hr 30 min
- Cook: 30 min
Ingredients
Pork:
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
6 fresh sage leaves, torn
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves
Two 18-ounce pork porterhouse steaks
Pinch crushed red pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
Fig Sauce:
1 cup saba
8 ounces dried Black Mission figs, stemmed and cut into quarters
4 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
Kosher salt
Directions
- For the pork: Combine the salt, sugar, sage, garlic, bay leaves and 2 quarts water. Submerge the pork in the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours before cooking.
- When ready to cook, remove the pork from the brine and discard the brine. Let the pork come to room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking. Pat dry.
- Meanwhile, for the sauce: Combine the saba and figs and let sit for 1 hour.
- Toss the pancetta into a small saute pan, give a little drizzle of oil and bring the pan to a medium heat. When the pancetta starts to brown and crisp, toss in the garlic and rosemary and stir to combine.
- Add the saba, figs and vinegar. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture back to a boil (BTB) and then reduce it to a simmer (RTS). Simmer the sauce until it becomes a chunky, saucy consistency. Season with salt.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Sprinkle the pork with crushed red pepper and a drizzle of oil. Grill the pork for 8 to 9 minutes on each side and 1 to 2 minutes standing it up on the fat edge to crisp that up. If the pork starts to burn, move it to a cooler spot on the grill.
- Let the pork rest for 10 to 15 minutes after grilling. Cut each steak off the bone and slice. Be sure to serve the bone along with the steaks.
- Serve garnished with the sauce.