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cotes de porc sauce charcutiere

Pork & charcuterie-based cooking

Côtes de Porc Sauce Charcutière

By Lisa Durand

Golden pork chops meet a sharp, buttery sauce of shallots, white wine, mustard and cornichons. The pork's browned pan juices give it depth; the pickles cut through the richness and bring a little crunch. TopAssiette's version uses shoulder-end chops, returned briefly to the sauce before serving. A scattering of flat-leaf parsley freshens the finish, and potatoes or mash make a natural place for the generous mustard and wine juices.

Prep
20 min
Cook
25 min
Total
45 min
Serves4
Jump to recipe ↓TopAssiette ↗

Ingredients

Pork and sauce

Method

  1. Season both sides of the pork chops generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat a large frying pan over high heat with a drizzle of grapeseed oil. Sear the chops for 7–8 minutes per side until golden.
  3. Peel and finely chop the shallots, cut the cornichons into batons, and wash and roughly chop the parsley.
  4. Keep the chops warm on an upturned plate set inside a dish.
  5. Melt a knob of the butter in the same pan and cook the shallots for 3–4 minutes until lightly coloured.
  6. Deglaze with white wine and reduce by three quarters.
  7. Add the thickened veal stock and simmer gently for 5–6 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, then stir in the cornichons and remaining butter.
  8. Return the chops to the sauce and simmer 3–4 minutes, coating them. Arrange on a serving dish, spoon over the sauce, scatter with parsley and serve immediately.

Equipment

Large frying pan; Whisk; Serving dish

Notes

  • Chops: choose firm, marbled meat and dry it thoroughly before searing. Keep the browned chops warm on the upturned plate while making the sauce; the article suggests covering them lightly with foil.
  • Wine: use a dry, light wine such as sauvignon or unoaked chardonnay. Scrape up the pan juices and reduce the wine until one quarter remains. The 25-minute cooking headline leaves no separate allowance for that reduction, so allow time for it as well as the timed stages.
  • Finishing: cut the cornichons into batons, add them towards the end and keep the sauce at a gentle simmer after the mustard and butter go in. Taste before returning the chops.
  • Variations: use strong chicken stock in place of veal stock, or wholegrain mustard for extra texture. Capers or a little tarragon give another flavour; a touch of cream makes a richer sauce.
  • At the table: serve with mash, steamed, sautéed or roast potatoes, gratin dauphinois or fresh pasta. Green beans or a crisp salad provide a fresh accompaniment.
  • Preparing ahead: keep meat and sauce separately. Reheat gently, adding a little water to loosen the sauce and returning the chops to coat. The publisher gives up to two days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Photos

3 photos
Pork chops with sauce charcutière source image.ServingPork chops with mustard and cornichon saucecôtes de porc sauce charcutièreServingPork chops with mustard and cornichon saucecôtes de porc sauce charcutièreServingPork chops with mustard and cornichon sauce

Côtes de Porc Sauce Charcutière

Recipe photos

About this dish

French sauce charcutière is built for rich pork. In Le Guide Culinaire of 1903, Escoffier adds short strips of cornichon to sauce Robert and singles it out as an accompaniment for grilled pork. The pickle garnish still defines the sauce, bringing a sharp contrast to the meat and its juices.

Lisa Durand associates her version with family meals. She remembers first making the sauce for her father’s birthday, and her grandfather quietly stealing cornichons as she cut them up. The pickles are her favourite ingredient here, for the lift their acidity gives the sauce.

She chooses échine chops, with enough marbling to suit this generous preparation. Browning them first supplies the pan juices for the sauce. The shallots soften in butter, wine loosens the browned residue and reduces, then veal stock adds depth. Mustard, cornichons and the remaining butter complete the sauce, with the pickles added late enough to keep their texture.

Recipe and cooking notes adapted from TopAssiette.