Friday, November 10, 2017

Pork Saltimbocca – Jumps in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands

You have to give it to the Italians when it comes to naming recipes, and this pork saltimbocca is a perfect example. By now, you’ve probably heard that “saltimbocca” means “jumps in the mouth,” which makes perfect sense if you’ve had it before.

Maybe we should start doing this to American recipes? For example, we could rename Buffalo Chicken Wings, “Order More Beer Bones.” Let me think that one through a little more, but the point is, I love the idea of trying to describe a food’s affect in its name.

If you don’t want to mess around making the fake pork stock with the chopped up trimmings, you can still use the gelatin trick, and simply dissolve a teaspoon into a cup of chicken broth, and reduce it by half. However, the browned scraps do add extra meatiness, and this way you won’t have to feel guilty about trimming off too much meat. By the way, if you’d made our demiglace, you could skip the gelatin and add a nugget of that.

Feel free to use the more classic veal loin for this recipe, but the pork tenderloin really works beautifully. It’s just as tender, and maybe even a bit more forgiving if slightly overcooked. Which reminds me, don’t overcook this. Slightly pink pork tenderloin is completely safe, not to mention juicy and delicious. So, whether you use pork, veal, or even a chicken breast for this, I really do hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 2 portions:
1 to 1 1/4 pound pork tenderloin, seasoned generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
about 12 sage leaves
4 large thin slices prosciutto
flour for dusting
2/3 cup white wine, or Marsala wine for a little sweeter sauce.
- Be sure season the final sauce before serving.

For the stock:
1 tablespoon butter
chopped pork trimmings
1 cup homemade or low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water, or as needed
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- simmer until reduced by half

21 comments:

Jeff in Philly said...

Isn't it pronounced Salt-Am-Boo-Kuh or is that just the East Coast way?

Unknown said...

Hi Chef!
Watching this reminds me of something I've been meaning to ask you, but I'm not sure if it would be a: "Food Wish" or not. However, I was wondering if you have ever rendered your own lard? It's something I've been considering doing, and since pork fat trimmings are so easily obtained, maybe very economical too. I have found oodles of videos on YouTube about it -- some do it in the slow cooker, some on the stove; some take an hour, some take several hours -- but I would like to know what, if any, take you would have on the subject. That is, of course, if you're not too put off with the smart-ass Twitter post about the hamburger buns I did a while ago.
Cheers!

Jason Black said...

If your wife doesn't like sage but you love her anyway, what form of tastyleaf would you suggest replacing it with? Would basil work?

rancholyn said...

This looks delicious! What would you serve this with other than pasta? sauteed spinach perhaps???

Unclejosh said...

This is always one of my favorite dishes at our local mom and pop Italian restaurant in Utica. They serve it over greens and ziti with a red sauce. Can’t wait to try this at home ��

Roberto said...

My preference is to start with packaged boneless center cut pork loin chops. Then it’s just a matter of pounding them out. After adding a sage leaf or two along with the prosciutto, I fold the pounded meat in half, using a small metal or wooden skewer to hold them closed if necessary. This encapsulates the delicate prosciutto and sage and makes frying them easier without risk of the components coming apart. I dust the outside with flour and press a sage leaf onto the outside of the saltimbocca just before putting the meat into the pan, leaf side down. That dresses up the presentation a bit and adds a slightly different layer of flavor because the leaf on the outside is subjected to higher heat than the ones on the inside. I make a simple pan sauce with chicken stock and usually include some finely chopped capers or shallots. I finish the sauce with a knob of butter to enrichen it. I like to garnish the plated dish with a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley. Or, if you have plenty of sage on hand, you can fry several leaves until they turn crispy and use them as a garnish. On occasion I make this dish with deboned, skinless chicken thighs or thin slices of beef.

Anonymous said...

Interesting twist Boneless pork chop and Smoked bacon. I'll let you name that one.

BRitt said...

In Rome they use toothpicks to secure prosciutto and sage and they fry in butter. Your version is excellent and a bit lighter.

Unknown said...

This looks awesome, definitely adding it to my ever growing list of things to try since I've found your YouTube channel/blog. Thanks for sharing your tech!

Chef Jerome McElroy said...

Chef John I have been making you recipes almost exclusively for the past month and all I can say is wow. Everyone one of them except one has been absolutely fantastic! This one was probably my favorite! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!

Hawkdoc said...

I made this tonight, and it was awesome! The sage and the saltiness from the prosciutto give it a flavor very reminiscent of breakfast sausage. I served it on spaetzle, which has very quickly become a family favorite around here! Thanks, Chef John!

Rev. Gregory Fisher said...

Hey! Chef John...love your videos and your blog; however, I'm not too sure that food actually has an affect. An effect? Yes. But, affect usually refers to a sentient being. But, you are the Ben Affleck of your food's affect. :)

Tomislav Petričević said...

Chef John, can't believe you omitted most colourful of all italian food names: strangolapretti (priest stranglers)... Pair them with napoletan ragout, couple that with a gluttonous priest and the story behind the name becomes self evident... :-D

Doc G said...

Tried this last night and it was a huge hit with the entire family. One error I made was using regular chicken stock instead of the low salt variety. My pan sauce was a bit on the salty side but still delicious. Thanks for another great recipe Chef John.

dragonmanmark said...

My food wish is that all Food Wishes recipes included directions not just an ingredients list because watching a video while cooking is impratical and memorizing the video is not possible.

Isabelv said...

Hi Chef John, I really enjoy your recipes and pork tenderloin is one of my favorites cuts so I can't wait to make it tonight. My "Food Wish" would be approximate time needed from start to finish. I cook after work and at times my fsmily complain how late dinner is ready...although they love the the outcome! Thank you!!!!

arwiv said...

If you cant watch this video once or twice and then have a really good idea on what you're doing without written out step-by-step directions, than maybe you should be boiling eggs for dinner. This is a nice little little 30 minute dinner (not including the simple boiling down of the stock).....its not a 50 step Masterchef recipe.

Unknown said...

Dear Chef John,
Greeting from the panhandle of Idaho.
I am a single mom raising a precocious teen and
budding chef/youtuber.
He introduced me to you and your tantalizing
and entertaining videos probably
3 years ago.
I absolutely love them and use them to increase
my knowledge and become a less awful cook.
both my children say they do not like my cooking
so I am trying to change that.
I thank you for your videos and the help
its giving me & my son.
With that said I simply have one request.
In Upper Michigan they have a sausage recipe
called CUDIGHI we used this in a pizza place
I worked in and would love to see you make
it in one of your videos.
We made a sandwich out of it and used it
on the pizzas as well.
hopefully you can whip some up!
I know I would definitely find it helpful.
Why don't you give it a try!
Thanks so much,
VAL

Unknown said...

Thanks for taking the time teach us how to create simple, fun and tasty food!

I was wondering if you think a de fated pork chops would be a good replacement for the tenderloin?

Mary said...

Hi, Chef... just a spelling correction under recipe for saltimbocca, it should be EFFECT, not AFFECT. I love your videos, your humor, your everything. Never even heard of you till a week ago. Thanks... please, keep them coming!

Papa Kan Cook said...

Love these recipes, but where are the written recipe instructions? Cannot find anywhere.