The other white meat

Okay, so I’ll admit it. Besides maybe pulled pork, I’m not a big fan of the other white meat. Maybe it’s memories of having dried-up pork chops for dinner when I was growing up. It wasn’t her fault though. My mother is a phenomenal cook, don’t get me wrong. I recently realized one of the reasons for my dislike of pork, and probably the reason my mother’s pork chops were so dry.

The US Department of Agriculture recently lowered its temperature recommendation for cooking pork to 145 degrees from 160 degrees. The USDA also called for letting the pork rest for three minutes after cooking so the temperature is maintained during that time killing off remaining pathogens.

Whenever I cook pork, I’m always tempted to pull it off the grill or out of the oven when it’s still a little rare, knowing the meat will continue to cook. To me it seems sinful to cook the meat until it’s grey and as hard as a puck. So, with these new federal guidelines, I decided to give it another shot.

This light recipe for Chipolte-Marinated Pork Chops with Chimichurri Sauce is spicy and the Chimichurri is packed with all sorts of vitamins and minerals (besides being fun to say.) You'll need a blender or food processor for this recipe.

Blend 3/4 cup of fat-free, low sodium chicken broth with one drained can of chipolte chile in adobo sauce (Goya makes this) in a blender. Place the mixture with four, six-ounce pork chops in a container or plastic bag for about two hours before you are ready to start cooking (and trust me, no more than two hours or it will be too spicy.)

For the chimichurri, combine the following ingredients in a blender:

• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup minced fresh onion

Cook the pork chops on the grill or in the oven, following the new guidelines of cooking the meat to 145 degrees. Serve with the chimichurri and a dollop of sour cream to help cut the heat. I sometimes cook sweet potato fries with this meal. It’s scrumptious.