Drunk and Naked Pork Chops

This is one recipe that's been in my brain for a long time now. When I was released from the hospital from my heart attack three years ago, I wanted to find a better way to handle my proteins. Most meats, as they're prepared in restaurants and grocery stores are loaded with salts. I was in a tiny rat-hole of a Asian grocery store and was introduced to Tamari Sauce, which is a very low sodium soy sauce. As the weeks past after the hospital, I found an organic grocery store that carried a low sodium Tamari sauce.

I like it better than the regular Tamari and I like it a lot better than the soy. It seems that the lower the sodium, the richer and nuttier the sauce tastes and the body of the flavor is so much beter.

One day, I came across the paper for an orange glazed pork chop and I've since just made my own version of a:

Drunk and Naked Pork Chop

2 to 4 pork chops thawed and trimmed
1 C orange juice
6 oz can pineapple juice
1/4 C low-sodium Tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
1/4 C orange liqueur
4 Tbsp taquila
4 Tbsp honey
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 inch ginger root (minced) or 2 tsp ginger powder
1 large shallot (minced)
2 Tbsp corn starch
2 Tbsp water

Mix the orange and pineapple juices along with the Tamari, the two liquors and the honey. Blend it together until the honey has dissolved. Add the garlic, ginger and the shallot and drop in the pork chops.

Marinate the meat for no less than four hours - preferably over night.

Preheat the oven at 400F
On a Silpat or a foil lined cookie sheet, place the chops and season with fresh cracked pepper and reserve the marinade. Bake the chops for 30 minutes or use an instant meat thermometer.

In the last ten minutes of baking, pour the marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once setting in a nice rolling boil, mix the cornstarch with the water to make the slurry. Turn the heat down to a medium and drizzle the slurry into the marinade.

Caution: There's a lot of alcohol in the marinade, so if you're cooking on a gas stove or near an open flame, be aware: You're working with something extremely flammable!

Remember - you're supposed to cook the chops...not your arm!

Once the marinade has thickened nicely, remove the pork chops and plate them by liberally pouring the marinade over them. They got drunk, they were baked naked and now you get to enjoy them with a nice sweet glaze.

Enjoy!