Pork Chops Get A Pop Of Spice With Lidia Bastianich's Tangy Addition

Pork chops are a blank canvas, a protein that takes on whatever flavors you choose to add, and can deliver everything from island vibes to rustic flavors. If you want a spicy edge, there are plenty of ways to add that, too, via a wide range of spices and sauces that infuse plenty of flavor. Hot honey is the finishing touch that makes Ree Drummond's pork chops unforgettable, while Gordon Ramsay adds some heat to his pork chops with ancho chile. But celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich uses something different to do the job — a pickled pepper that adds a zesty type of heat. Her pan-fried spicy pork chops are made with Tuscan pepperoncini peppers, and she demonstrated how to make them in a 2023 food segment on "Today."

Bastianich breads bone-in pork chops in a light layer of salt and flour for this recipe, which is also included in her cookbook collection. After a quick pan-fry to brown the chops, she simmers them on the stovetop in a white wine and chicken broth sauce with sliced mushrooms and large whole pepperoncini peppers, as well as brine from the latter's jar. In the segment, Bastianich mentions how the acidity of the pickled peppers really enhances the pork. The vinegar in the brine helps the meat retain moisture and tenderizes the meat and adds a subtle level of spice and Mediterranean influence to the dish.

The flavors of pepperoncini peppers can make their way into pork chop dishes in a variety of ways. As Lidia Bastianich's recipe showed, you can use the liquid in the jar in a brine for the chops before they're even cooked; the juiciest pork chops owe their flavor to this simple technique. Pepperoncini straight from the jar also work well as a garnish, added just before serving for extra crunchy texture. For a creamier take, use pepperoncini mayo (garlic, pepperoncini, mayo, and fresh herbs blended in a food processor) as a breading binder and as a drizzle to finish the chops. If you have some extra time on your hands, combine pepperoncini with broth and ranch dressing for slow-cooked Mississippi-style pork chops.

Every pork chop needs some friends on the plate, and there are plenty of ways to make pepperoncini the star of your side dishes, too. These zesty peppers add a burst of flavor to both lettuce and antipasto salads. They give potato casserole a bright and tangy zip, and add a pop of flavor to classic mashed potatoes with melted butter. You can also use pepperoncini as an unexpected mix-in for homemade mac and cheese.