The title of this post vastly oversimplifies what all went into it.
“Pork Chop, Smoked Farro, Farm Okra and Carrot with Peach Conserva”
I’ll start by saying that this is a copycat recipe. I had this meal, or what I think went into it, at Restaurant 17 in Travelers Rest, South Carolina. I reverse engineered what I saw and tasted that night to try and recreate the same meal at home. Above are the photos I took of the meal at the restaurant.
When you look at a menu description like “Pork chop, smoked farro, okra, carrots and peach conserva,” it sounds simple enough. But once you break down the plate, you realize how many distinct culinary techniques are working together to build those layers of flavor: cold-smoking grains, quick-pickling under vacuum pressure, precision sous-vide cooking, broiling and making a warm pan emulsion.
Here is how I adapted the dish for the home kitchen, pivoting to boneless chops and using a few modern kitchen tools to pull it all together.
Reverse Engineering the Plate
When I analyzed my photos from that night, a few key elements stood out that were missing from the brief menu description:
- The Mystery Pink Ingredient: Tucked into the farro was a bright, translucent red slice. It turned out to be quick-pickled shallots, which add a crucial pop of acid to cut through the rich pork and smoked grain.
- The “Peach Conserva”: While “conserva” usually implies slow-cooked preserved fruit, this tasted much more like a vibrant, herbed raw fruit salsa. Fresh diced peaches tossed with olive oil, lemon juice and fresh herbs keep the topping crisp and bright.
- The Sauce: Underneath it all sat a rich, glossy pan jus blended with pan drippings, finished off with a drizzle of fresh herb oil.
The Home Kitchen Adaptations & Upgrades
To pull this off without a full restaurant line, I dialed in a few key equipment hacks:
- Sous Vide for Boneless Chops: The store only had thick boneless pork loin chops. To keep lean boneless pork from drying out, I cooked them low and slow in a water bath before giving them a screaming-hot stainless-steel sear.
- Cold-Smoking Dry Farro: Instead of smoking cooked grains, I placed the raw, dry farro in a large glass, covered it tightly and filled the chamber with wood smoke from a cocktail smoker. Raw grains absorb smoke flavor deeply without getting mushy.
- Vacuum-Compressed Pickled Shallots: To get that vibrant pink color and snappy texture instantly, I processed thinly sliced shallots and quick-pickle brine in my chamber vacuum sealer. The pressure drop forces the brine into the cell walls in seconds.
- Finishing the Fennel: I tossed paper-thin shaved fennel into the farro during the last 2 minutes of simmering so it softened slightly while keeping a pleasant tender-crisp bite.
The Recipe
Ingredients
Sous Vide Pork Chops
- 2–4 thick-cut boneless pork loin chops (1.25″–1.5″ thick)
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Fresh thyme sprigs and smashed garlic cloves
- High-heat oil for searing
Smoked Farro & Quick-Pickled Shallots
- 1 cup pearled farro, rinsed
- 2.5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 small bulb fennel, shaved paper-thin
- 1/2 small red onion or shallot, thinly sliced
- Pickle brine: 1/3 cup white wine vinegar, 1/3 cup water, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt
- Wood chips for cocktail smoker
Broiled Vegetables
- 1/2 lb fresh okra, halved lengthwise
- 1/2 lb whole baby carrots, scrubbed
- Olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper
Peach Conserva (Herbed Relish)
- 2 ripe South Carolina peaches (because they are the best), diced
- 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, basil or tarragon
- Flaky sea salt and black pepper
Herb Oil & Pan Jus
- Herb Oil: 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil whisked with 1 tbsp minced parsley, chives, thyme, lemon zest and flaky salt
- Pan Jus: Reserved juices from the sous vide bag, 1/4 cup chicken stock, 1 tbsp cold unsalted butter and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Compress the Pickled Shallots
Combine the vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Place the thinly sliced shallots and brine into a pouch and run a cycle in your chamber vacuum sealer (or use the Infuse/Marinate setting). The shallots will turn translucent and bright pink instantly. Set aside. - Cold-Smoke the Dry Farro
Spread raw farro in a wide, shallow bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, insert your cocktail smoker tube and fill the bowl with wood smoke. Let sit sealed for 10–15 minutes to infuse the dry grains. - Sous Vide the Chops
Preheat water bath to 140°F (60°C). Season chops generously with salt and pepper. Vacuum seal with thyme and smashed garlic. Submerge and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours. When finished, remove chops and save all bag juices for the jus. Pat the chops completely dry. - Cook the Farro & Fennel
Bring the smoked farro and stock to a boil in a saucepan. Cover, lower heat and simmer for 25 minutes. During the last 2–3 minutes of cooking, stir in the shaved fennel. Drain any remaining liquid, remove from heat and fold in the pickled shallots. - Broil the Vegetables
Set your oven broiler to HIGH. Toss halved okra and baby carrots with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and broil on the top rack for 6–8 minutes until carrots are tender-crisp and okra edges show a dark char. - Make the Peach Conserva & Herb Oil
Gently toss diced fresh peaches, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped herbs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Keep at room temperature so it stays fresh and bright. Whisk your herb oil ingredients together in a separate small dish. - Sear the Chops & Build the Pan Jus
Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat with 1 tbsp oil. Sear the dried pork chops for 45–60 seconds per side until a deep crust forms, then remove to rest. Lower heat to medium, pour in the reserved bag juices and 1/4 cup stock and simmer for 2 minutes. Off the heat, swirl in cold butter and lemon juice until a glossy emulsion forms. - Plating
Spoon warm pan jus onto the center of the plate. Layer a bed of smoked farro and fennel on top. Arrange charred okra and carrots around the grains. Rest the seared pork chop over the farro, crown with a generous spoon of peach conserva and finish with a drizzle of green herb oil.
Photos from dinner at restaurant on July 23 | Pics for 8/2/26
