Glazed Pork Chops and Onions

This is a nifty little recipe that comes by way of an obscure cookbook printed by the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in the 60's.  It was put together from submissions by Marylanders who sent in their cherished family recipes which have to date back farther than the 1960's.  This recipe serves as a reminder that there are more ways to cook onions than mere frying.  It was often popular in the vintage era to pre-boil onions then roast them in the oven.  This serves to bring out the sweetness of the onion especially with Bermuda Onions.  I've learned a couple of things from this recipe especially the nature of Bermuda Onions which are extremely hard to find in the States these days having been displaced by Granax variety onions grown in Vidalia, Ga., Walla-walla, Wa., Maui, etc.  Organic red (Spanish) onions are the same thing as the old Bermuda onions and readily substitute in any recipe calling for Bermuda Onions.  Another thing I learned was about onion sizes.  Onions as sold in stores currently are super jumbo sized compared to what was available in the vintage era.  It is best summed up this way: Small onion - 2oz, medium onion - 4oz, large onion - 8oz.  Most of the onions I test weighed at work today ran from 3/4 to a whole pound which is great if a recipe calls for 2 large onions diced, sliced, julienned or what have you but not so great when you need them whole.  I did manage to find 2, 1/2 pound organic red onions that worked perfectly in this recipe.  The sauce is interesting but mixes with the onion juice to taste oh so divine in the end.



Glazed Pork Chops & Onions

2 Large (1/2lb) Bermuda Onions (Organic Red Onions)
4, 1/2-1" thick Pork Chops (Loin, Rib or Shoulder)

Sauce ingredients
1/3C Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
1tsp Sage
1tsp Salt
1tsp Paprika
1tsp Dry Mustard (Coleman's)
1/8tsp Ground Pepper
1T Water

Cut onions in half leaving skins on.  Bring 1qt water to boil in saucepan and add salt.  Boil onions for 10 mins, remove with slotted spoon and drain well.  Preheat oven to 325°, Place pork chops in baking dish and surround with boiled onions cut side up.  Mix all sauce ingredients in bowl and spoon over pork chops.  Place in oven and bake 1 hour basting chops and onions often.

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