Grilled Pork Chop with Figs & Bourbon Glaze

As part of our upcoming Cochon Boucherie Festival, we give you our recipe for Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops, one of our most popular entrees at Bistro Roca.

4 center cut thick pork loin chops, with bone

For the Marinade

3 tbs Dijon Mustard

2 cloves Garlic peeled and crushed

1 shallot sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1tbs salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbs chopped Rosemary

Blend together all ingredients and rub on both sides of Pork chops. Let sit for 2 to 6 hours.

Sauce For Pork Chop

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Bourbon

1/2 cup Soy Sauce

2 tbs Green peppercorns

1 sweet onion sliced

Bring these ingredients to a boil and remove from heat

Add 20 dried figs and let rehydrate.

Grill Pork Chops on a meduim hot fire. We recommend cooking to medium, about 150˚ F internal temperature.

Garnish Pork with Figs and use glaze as a sauce over the Grilled pork chop. Serve with Mashed potatoes and braised Greens.

Cooking Classes and Dinners

Gideon Ridge and Bistro Roca, with Executive Chef Michael Foreman, announce the Cochon Boucherie Festival, April 5 to 7, 2011, to be held in conjunction with the Blowing Rock Culinary Month.

Gideon Ridge has procured a 250 pound Berkshire pig, currently being raised in Happy Valley, NC. We will receive the freshly killed (and inspected) pig on Monday, April 4, and participants in the Cochon Boucherie will participate in all aspects of the cutting, preparation, cooking, and eating of the pig.

The pig is being raised by a small producer in Happy Valley, NC, about 20 minutes from Blowing Rock. The family operation primarily raises goats and produces goat cheese. The pigs are fed goat whey as part of their diet.

We envision this event to be a sophisticated version of the traditional Appalachian “Hog Killing” party, where extended family and neighbors help to prepare and smoke the hams, bacon and sausages, while preparing the evening party feast.

The culinary program at Gideon Ridge Inn and Bistro Roca is the result of the efforts and experience of Michael Foreman, Executive Chef. For more than ten years, he has been preparing meals at Gideon Ridge using local ingredients long before the current “farm to table” movement was popular. Bistro Roca was started 6 years ago and is a casual dining experience using many of the same fresh ingredients and culinary techniques used at Gideon Ridge. In previous years, Michael has purchased pigs from this producer in Happy Valley and served the pork at both Gideon Ridge and Bistro Roca. This is the first time we have held a class.

Cost: The three night package for Cochon Boucherie Festival, including classes, special dinners, wine tastings, and three nights at Gideon Ridge Inn is $750 double occupancy, $625 single occupancy. The two night package including classes, special dinners, wine tastings, and two nights at Gideon Ridge Inn is $600 double occupancy, $475 single occupancy. For people who want to take the classes and have the dinners, the cost is $250 per person. (plus $15 per person for each breakfast, if desired) For a one day class including dinner is $125.

Call Gideon Ridge Inn for information: 828-295-3644 or 888-889-4036