La Piña en la Cocina's Chuletas en Salsa

Plate of chuletes en salsa roja with frijoles

September 9, 2024

We are thrilled to announce this month's Chef en Residencia, Sonia Mendez Garcia, the creative force behind La Piña en la Cocina. Sonia's cooking captures the essence of traditional Mexican home cooking, inspiring us with her recipes that tell stories of family and culture.

In her first installment, Sonia is cooking Chuletas en Salsa — a dish that reflects her approach to cooking with simple, fresh ingredients. Inspired by her childhood memories of her mother's wholesome meals, this recipe features pork chops simmered in a flavorful sauce made with serrano chiles, onions, and tomatoes — ingredients Sonia's abuela fondly called "la bandera." It's a dish that is layered with flavor, nourishing comfort food at its best.

So, pull up a chair and get to know Sonia and her singular sazón. She'll be sharing more recipes in the coming weeks, so we hope you'll keep an eye on our Instagram and follow along.

Chuletas en Salsa (Pork Chops in Salsa)

Sonia Mendez Garcia

Ingredients

2 lbs thin bone-in, center-cut pork chips (about 5-6 chops)
1 ½ tsp coarse sea salt, divided (½ tsp for rub, 1 tsp for salsa)
1 tsp peppercorns
3 large cloves of garlic, divided (1 clove for rub, 2 cloves for salsa)
1 tsp cumin seeds
5 tbsp neutral oil, divided (3 tbsp for rub, 2 tbsp for skillet)
4 large roma tomatoes, quartered
1 ¼ medium white onions, divided (1 whole onion sliced, ¼ onion for blending)
2 serrano peppers, roughly chopped
2 tsp chicken or tomato bouillon
½ tsp Mexican oregano, crushed
2/3 cup water
Cilantro for garnish
Corn tortillas

Directions

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In a molcajete, grind ½ tsp salt, peppercorns, 1 clove of garlic, and cumin seeds until fine. Mix in 3 tbsp of oil to create a seasoning paste.
Rub the paste over the chuletas, coating them evenly. Set aside to marinate.

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Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes.
While the oil heats, blend the tomatoes, ¼ white onion, serrano peppers, remaining garlic cloves, bouillon, oregano, remaining salt, and water until smooth. Set aside.
Sear the pork chops in the skillet for 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet, sauté the sliced onions for about 3 minutes until softened.
Pour in the blended sauce, stir to combine, and let it simmer for 3 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Return the pork chops to the skillet, top with chopped cilantro, and partially cover with a lid.
Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
Serve with rice, beans, and warm tortillas. ¡Provecho!