Week 7: Sauté, Pork, & Potatoes
- ejs0086
- Sep 26, 2023
- 8 min read
Updated: Nov 30, 2023
Research
Introductions
List the method of cookery and dishes to be covered in class
This week in class, we will be making escalope de porch a la Normandy (pork escalope with apples) for the main dish, paired with dauphinoise potatoes and glazed carrots as the side dishes. For the pork and apples, we will use a sauteing method to create a savory umami dish. Sauteing the apple slices with stock, cream, nutmeg, and additional seasoning will allow for a warm, flavorful sauce. We will be simmering the cream for the dauphinoise potatoes and baking the dish in the oven, topped with grated gruyere cheese, to create a delicious casserole. The glazed carrots will appear shiny after sauteing them in sugar, butter, and chicken stock.
List your learning objectives for the class
I am excited about cooking a new type of meat this week after focusing primarily on chicken in the last few classes. Chef Traynor mentioned that the sauce for the pork can easily turn out too sweet, which is why we are substituting the apple juice for veal stock; with this in mind, I hope to create an equally sweet and salty sauce utilizing apple slices and stock.
Discuss your prior knowledge of the content
As someone who grew up in the South, I am highly familiar with casseroles and pork. The desired consistency of casseroles can be difficult to acquire, and pork can quickly become dry during its resting time after cooking. Thankfully, dauphinoise potatoes are meant to be super creamy and we will be sauteing the pork rather than grilling (which commonly overcooks the meat after it is taken off of the grill). Furthermore, I know that carrots are naturally sweet on their own; the glazed carrot recipe calls for additional sugar, which could make the entire dish too sweet when paired with the sugary apple sauce (sauce with apples, not literal apple sauce) for the pork.
Background Information
Research and discussion of method of cooking/ techniques
Although sauteing is a dry method of cooking, it uses some sort of liquid to cook the ingredients. Sauteing the pork will allow for flavorsome, juicy meat compared to grilling pork, which is the cooking method my father uses every time, and the pork ends up immensely dry (a.k.a. a choking hazard). According to an article published by Tasting Table, "The reason is that pork is a lean meat and can dry out rather quickly, especially on a grill. Thinner cuts of pork, in general, don't tend to do well on the high direct heat of a grill because the meat cooks through before developing that crispy outer layer you typically see in pork chops" (Martin, 2022). Baking or sauteing pork is the best way to produce moist, thoroughly cooked pork with a crispy exterior. Baking or sauteing is always the most suitable way to glaze carrots.
Recipes
Plan of Work
Report & Reflect
Results
Describe the outcomes of the lab class
This week in lab, we made savory pork scallops with apples and dauphinoise potatoes, with a side dish of sweet glazed carrots. The pork turned out somewhat well, but one piece was not consumable because it was not cooked all the way; we are unsure as to why we could not get that one piece of pork to cook all the way through without burning the dredged exterior. However, the two evenly cooked pieces of pork tasted exceptional, with juicy, tender meat and a flavorsome browned edge. The dauphinoise potatoes were delicious once we added more seasoning, but they were initially bland. As for the carrots, I usually prefer not to eat them on their own, but this dish exceeded my expectations. The glazed carrots were outstandingly savory and sweet and, in my opinion, the best dish on the plate.
Describe how well the technique/cooking method worked
Sauteing was a great method for the glazed carrots, but not so much for the pork escalope with apples. The glazed carrots turned out soft and flavorsome with a shiny appearance from using a sauteing method. Sauteing the pork did not work well and was stressful; acquiring the desired internal temperature while trying to avoid burning the exterior was a difficult task. We were instructed not to pound the pork to prevent it from overcooking and becoming dry; yet, I feel like pounding the pork was a crucial step to include in the cooking process for evenly cooked meat. Perhaps pounding only the thicker cuts of meat would have been practical, especially for sauteing, to yield a shorter cooking time and evenly cooked meat. Despite the difficulties we encountered, sauteing the carrots and pork provided immense flavor for both dishes. Simmering the cream for the dauphinoise potatoes and baking the dish in the oven created a delicious casserole.
Describe the sensory results of the dish
Taste
The three dishes that we made this week paired well together in terms of taste, with sweet carrots, salty potatoes, and savory pork. The pork tasted sweet, salty, and (unfortunately) bitter, all at the same time. The bitterness was most likely due to a combination of factors: adding too much nutmeg (that also burned in the pan), adding the apples too late, and not adding apple juice like the recipe originally called for. We were instructed to add the apple slices after adding the stock and cream to the pan so they wouldn't become mushy, and we were told to take apple juice out of the recipe because it makes the dish too sweet. These directions prohibited the apples from adequately softening, so they did not release enough sugar into the pan. Furthermore, the desired sweetness of the pork escalope was diminished without the sugar from the apple juice and apple slices. The dauphinoise potatoes were initially flavorless because my lab partner forgot to season the dish when he added the cheese, which we discovered at the end of class when we were eating the oven-cooked dish.
Flavor
The pork escalope with apples presented a warm, juicy, and slightly creamy flavor from being sauteed in the sweet apple-based sauce. The flavor and aromas of the pork escalope almost reminded me of a caramel apple (it tasted better than that sounds). Truthfully, before seasoning the dauphinoise potatoes, the dish tasted primarily like unseasoned potatoes drenched in milk-flavored cream and thyme. We mixed a lot of seasoning into the potatoes on our plate, which made a drastic difference, but the dish still could have used more garlic, butter, and a stronger cheese. The glazed carrots had a deliciously sweet flavor, but they would have been even better if they were seasoned with parsley.
Texture
The texture of the pork escalope (the two fully cooked cuts) with apples was tender and juicy on the inside, with perfectly crispy edges. The potatoes and carrots had just the right amount of softness with each bite. The dauphinoise potatoes also had a round, creamy texture, with a crispy layer of cheese on top.
Appearance
Each dish looked delicious and visually appealing on their own. However, our plate presentation lessened the attractiveness of each individual dish due to the visible mess on the plate, the poor placement of each item, and the boring presentation. The orange color of the carrots, with the choice of using a white plate, added a pop of color to the primarily neutral-colored dish.
Evaluation of results
Explain and discuss the important outcomes using external references and citations
In lab this week, we made many mistakes; most mistakes were easy to pinpoint where we went wrong, but we didn't quite understand why one piece of pork remained undercooked, and we couldn't avoid burning the exterior of that slice. According to an article by Patricia S York, called 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Pork Chops, there are two possible reasons why we struggled to cook the pork: too high cooking temperature or the pork did not thaw completely. Considering no other classmates had the same problem as us, I'm going to say it was the high cooking temperature. In the 2022 article, Patricia York states, "If you are frying chops in the pan, make sure that pan is really, really hot. Searing helps create a good crust on both sides, but once that is done, drop the heat down to medium. If you keep it too high, the outside of the chop will overcook, possibly even burn, before the inside has a chance. Medium heat helps keep the outer edges of the meat tender while the center reaches the perfect temperature."Nevertheless, the properly cooked pork pieces were exceptionally flavorful and tender. Although the dauphinoise potatoes initially lacked seasoning, they became delicious after we made some adjustments. Surprisingly, the glazed carrots were my favorite dish this week, with their perfect texture and delightful sweet taste.
Discuss the techniques that did work well
Sauteing and sweating were effective cooking methods to use for the glazed carrots and resulted in a soft, flavorful dish. The melted butter used for sauteing the carrots created a juicy glaze and helped offset the sweetness a little bit to present a delicious umami taste. Simmering and baking methods produced an appetizing dauphinoise potato casserole.
Discuss the techniques that did not work well
As I mentioned earlier, sauteing the pork escalope with apples posed many difficulties, such as trying to reach the desired internal temperature without burning the outside. This cooking method was inefficient and ineffective for the thicker cuts of meat. Pounding the thicker cuts of pork would have just a little bit would have made sauteing a great cooking method to use.
Discuss the particular improvements and changes that could be implemented to improve the outcomes
Next time I saute pork, I will better keep in mind the temperature of the stovetop to avoid burning the exterior of the meat. Seasoning the dauphinoise potatoes as we were eating was not ideal; next time I make this dish, I will remember to season it before we put it in the oven to ensure that it has an even flavor all around. For the glazed carrots, I would season them with parsley to enhance the appearance and so that the taste does not consist primarily of sugar. Furthermore, I will fix the plating presentation for this meal when we remake it in the final practical exam.
Conclusions
Provide a concise and clear recap of the outcomes of the class.
In lab this week, we encountered a few cooking mistakes, particularly with one undercooked pork slice; the high cooking temperature might have been the issue, but the properly cooked pork pieces were flavorful. The glazed carrots were a surprising favorite due to their perfect texture and sweet taste, and the dauphinoise potatoes improved drastically after adjusting the seasoning.
Discuss the specific learning outcomes of the class and link them to the learning objectives that were previously identified.
My goal was to cook pork escalope with apples that have tender, juicy meat, and an equally sweet and salty taste. I did meet this learning objective in lab class, but the pork had an additional and unfortunate bitter taste caused by heavily seasoning it with nutmeg.
Discuss additional skills and knowledge that were learned outside of the previously identified learning objectives.
In class, I learned how to use a mandoline slicer safely; this tool was efficient for slicing potatoes.
Explain the potential circumstances that the newly-found skills and knowledge could be applied.
As I mentioned above, we will be remaking this meal in our final practical exam. The knowledge I gained from making this meal and researching our mistakes will help me succeed in the near future.
Detail areas that still require practice and improvement.
I feel as though I have gone into immense detail throughout this report about areas of improvement. But one thing I did differently this week that will help me further improve my time management is that I made an individual list of all cooking utensils/tools that I would need. For the past several weeks, it took us a long time to prepare our mise en place because it's hard to remember everything we need at 8:00 in the morning. This list drastically improved our preparation time, and writing these each week will be useful for the remainder of the semester
References
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