Pork steaks with raisins and orange sauce

The best sauces are made with highly flavored concentrates. Reduced stock, wine, liqueurs and fruit juices are among my favorites. These pork steaks were cooked with orange juice. Tangy, slightly sweet and amazingly rich.

Freshly squeezed orange juice is always ideal but if, you’re in a hurry, you can substitute orange juice from a carton — just make sure that the liquid is unsweetened and undiluted with water.

Not everyone is a fan of raisins. If you’re among them, you can substitute prunes or any dried fruit. Dried cranberries, blueberries and apricots in pouches are widely available in supermarkets. Why dried? Because it is just amazing how they absorb all the flavors in the liquid.

Pork chops or chicken quarters may be used in lieu of the pork steaks. If using pork chops, I recommend the kind with bones because the bones add so much richness to the sauce.

Serves five.

Ingredients:

5 pork steaks (I recommend a thickness of 3/4 inch)

salt

pepper

all-purpose flour

1 large white onion, peeled and thinly sliced into rings

4 tbsps. of butter

4 tbsps. of vegetable cooking oil

For the sauce:

1/4 c. of butter

3 tbsps. of all-purpose flour

about 3 c. of orange juice

1/4 c. of raisins

salt, to taste

sugar, to taste (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Season the pork steaks with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour; shake off the excess.

Heat the butter and cooking oil in a pan.

Cook the onion rings, separating them, just until they start to soften. 

Remove with a slotted spoon (or kitchen tongs) and set aside.

Pan fry in the hot butter and oil just until a light crust forms on the 

surface. You are are not cooking them through at this point but just 

searing them.

Depending on the size of your pork steaks, you may have to do this in two 

to three batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. And, also depending on 

the size of your pork steaks, you may need to add more butter and oil 

between batches.

Arrange the pork steaks in a baking dish slightly overlapping one another

Make the sauce. To the remaining oil in the pan, add the 1/4 cup of butter 

and allow to melt. Add the flour, all at once and mix, to make a roux.

Add the raisins and pour in the juice in a slow thin stream, stirring as you pour. Cook until thickened. Season with salt, pepper and sugar, if using.

Scatter the onion rings over the pork steaks. Pour in the sauce. Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for one hour to one hour and a half, depending on the thickness and size of your pork steaks.

To serve, place a pork steak on a plate of rice. Pour the sauce over it. Top with onion rings.