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Tex-Mex Pork Chops I

Pork chops simmered in salsa, green chilies, cumin, and topped with cheddar cheese.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 6 ingredients
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Why it works: Pork and cheddar cheese are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,505 recipes. Both carry sotolon, which smells curry, maple. The science ↓

Tex-Mex Pork Chops I

Ingredients

Directions

Sear the chops

  1. Heat oil in frying pan over medium high heat.

  2. Brown chops on one side, about 2 minutes, and then flip them.

Simmer in the sauce

  1. Add the salsa, chilies and cumin to skillet and mix well.

  2. Lower heat, cover and simmer 8 minutes.

  3. Remove cover and top each chop with one quarter of the cheese.

  4. Cover and simmer for an additional 2 minutes, until cheese melts.

  5. Serve immediately.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

504Calories
36 gProtein
38 gFat
6 gCarbs
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Pork100g cooked242
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Cheddar Cheese1 oz (28g)113
Tomato1 medium (123g)22
Cumin1 tsp ground (2.1g)8

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Pork + cheddar cheesetop 6% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together1,505 recipes

    Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).

  2. Cumin + cheddar cheesetop 18% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together396 recipes

    Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).

  3. Pork + cumintop 20% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together707 recipes

    Shared aroma: myrcene (balsamic, herbaceous).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Pork chops
Provide the main protein, which browns on the surface and turns tender as it simmers.
Chunky salsa
Supplies liquid and acidity that keep the chops moist while they simmer.
Cheddar cheese
Melts over the hot chops, adding richness and a creamy, savory topping.
Diced green chilies
Add mild heat and a fresh, vegetal flavor to the simmering sauce.
Ground cumin
Adds warm, earthy aroma that defines the Tex-Mex flavor.

The step that matters

Browning the chops before adding the sauce. Searing over medium high heat builds browned, flavorful surface compounds through the Maillard reaction. Skipping or rushing this step leaves the chops pale and less savory once they simmer in the salsa.

Swap the cumin

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (pork, cheddar cheese):

  1. Garlicfits better
  2. Jalapenofits better
  3. Thymefits better
  4. Cuminthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against pork, cheddar cheese. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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