Pork Chops with Sweet and Sour Glaze

This pork chop dinner takes less than 30 minutes before dinner is on the table!  Eat your heart out Rachel Ray! :).  We just got back from a wonderful getaway to Florida, recharging our batteries and feeling energized again.  Isn’t it just glorious when you can slip away in the dead of winter?  It was just marvelous soaking in an endless amount of Vitamin D, relaxing poolside, enjoying the flora and fauna with palm trees and hibiscus dotting the landscape.  Watch out for pictures and stories on the travel section of my blog soon.  In the meantime back to this simple pork chop dinner.  I was inundated with bills, laundry, phone calls etc on my return, so this just fit the bill for tonight’s meal.

Ingredients   – Serves 4

• 4 pork chops, bone-in, 1/2 inch thick
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Sweet and Sour Glaze

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes – optional, but definitely worth it
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Season pork chops with salt and pepper to taste
3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add pork chops and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes
4. Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through about 7 minutes or less.  Cooking time will vary based on the thickness.
5. To make the sweet and sour glaze, combine balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat; season with salt and pepper.
6. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.  Pour over pork chops and serve immediately.

I paired this meal with Garlic smashed potatoes sprinkled with grated parmesan.  It was a perfect accompaniment to the pork chops without stealing the spotlight. 

The potatoes are beautifully soft and mushy inside, and crisp and golden brown on the outside.

Here you have it, dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.  You can sop up the delicious and aromatic glaze with the smashed potatoes, just a quick, flavorful and easy dinner when you’re too rushed to fix a meal on a weekday.

Pardon the absence of anything heart-shaped my blogger friends, I’m in between trips, but please know that I appreciate and look forward to all your posts, your friendship and your warmth.  Happy V-Day and weekend.  This chocoflan dessert should be just tickety-boo for this special occasion.  You can find my recipe here.

I am heading off to Angie@The NoviceGardener for Fiesta Friday #55.  Today her co-hosts are the amazing duo Sue@birgerbird and Suzanne@apuginthekitchen.    Click on these amazing links to see their blogs.