What to do with Pork Chops

I always buy pork chops at Costco, but lately I've been a little bored of the same old thing, and we end up with a lot of pork chops in the freezer. So, tonight and I think last Thursday, I made a couple of new Pork dishes that I would like to share. But, these were both experiments, as usual, so they are kind of hard for me to keep track of measurements. Hopefully, though, I remember all the ingredients.

Japanese Pork Chops
serves 2 peoplefor the marinade:
2 T white and black sesame seeds, ground fine
1/2 C soy sauce
1~2 T fresh grated ginger
5 cloves finely minced garlic
3 T rice wine vinegar
3 T mirin (sweet sake)
2 T sesame seed oil
1 t "shichimi garashi" (Japanese spice--you can get it in almost any asian food section of a grocery store)
juice of one lemon
1/2 C Yakiniku sauce

1 large pork chop, cut in half so to roughly 1 inch thick.

1. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a small shallow bowl. Add pork chops and stab with a fork a few times. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.
2. In the mean time, cook rice. (I recommend Japanese short grain rice. It's the only way to go, I think)
3. After letting the pork sit in the marinade for a while, take them out and let the marinade drain off them as you pull them out. You don't want a lot of excess.
4. heat a semi-deep frying pan to medium high heat and brown both sides of the chops. Once browned, turn the heat down to medium low and add water or broth and cover.
5. Once it's cooked through, you can slice it and serve it. I added extra ground sesame seeds and ponzu sauce over the top of it. I like the sesame seeds because of the really deep, rich texture and taste it adds and the ponzu (I bought a specific citrus blend ponzu sauce shown in the background) a nice light tang to it.
   

Pork Tacos
serves 2 people
for the poaching liquid:
1 t dried cilantro
2 t chili powder (give or take depending on how spicy you want it ... I may have overdone it)
2 t cayenne pepper (same)
2 t crushed red pepper flakes (same)
1 t cumin
1 t oregano
salt & pepper
3~4 T soy sauce (tenderizes the meat and adds great flavor)
2 C water
2 T taco seasoning
juice of 1 lime

1 pork chop

1. Add all ingredients of poaching liquid in the smallest pot you have and bring to a simmer while stirring
2. Add pork chop and leave it until completely cooked.
3. Once cooked through bring pork out of pot and shred. Place back in the concentrated poaching liquid, which now looks like a dark sauce, and let cook until pork absorbs the sauce
4. Cook tortillas, add cheese to melt, add pork. Take off heat and add tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, and whatever else you add to your tacos.
5. Roll up and serve immediately.