The inspiration behind Jason McClain’s Grilled Adobo-Spiced Ibérico Pork Chop came from summer. The Executive Chef of Marin Country Club wanted the dish to feel lighter and brighter than a classic French preparation. Instead, he turned to an adobo seasoning he discovered near his home in Petaluma, Calif., and built the dish around it.
Below, McClain breaks down how the plate came together, why keeping the bone-in riblets changed everything, and what makes the dish such a refreshing departure from the norm.
Club + Resort Chef (C+RC): What was the inspiration behind this dish?
Jason McClain (JM): The inspiration for this dish really came from the season. We’re in the peak of summer and having cooked all over the world—including in hotter and more tropical climates—I wanted this pork dish to feel like summer.
I didn’t want to take a beautiful Iberico pork chop and automatically go Mediterranean with it. And I didn’t want to fall back on the classic French approach either—apples, Swiss chard, parsnip purée, a rich sauce and something glazed. I love French food and have tremendous respect for the technique, but sometimes you have to get away from what you already know.
Near my home in Petaluma, I discovered a woman making these incredible flavored salts and spice blends. I picked up her adobo seasoning and started playing around with it at home. That became the starting point.
I seasoned the pork generously with the adobo and gave it a hard sear. Originally, I was going to French the chop, but the little riblets along the bone were just too good to throw away. Instead, I kept them, sliced them up and let the whole chop be what it was.
For the plate, I started with a simple avocado purée. Then I made what I call a dressed-up pico de gallo with fresh summer tomatoes, sweet corn and black beans. I seasoned it early enough to draw the natural juices from the tomatoes and let all those flavors come together.
Avocado purée goes down first, followed by the sliced pork and the corn and black bean relish, with just a little jus to finish the meat.
C+RC: How would you describe the flavors and presentation of the dish?
JM: When I sat down and ate the dish, it was juicy, bright, refreshing, and a little unexpected.
It was a completely different way of looking at a beautiful Iberico pork chop. Nothing felt heavy or forced. The richness of the pork worked against the cool avocado, the acidity and juice from the tomatoes, the sweetness of the summer corn and the warmth of the adobo.
C+RC: What makes this a successful dish? What about it makes you most proud?
JM: It was fun to eat. And in the middle of summer, it was exactly what the doctor ordered.
