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
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Season pork chops with salt and pepper to taste
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork chops and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes
- Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through about 7 minutes or less. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness.
- 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.
- 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.
Loretta, wow oh wow do these sweet and sour pork chops look so stickingly delicious! I love the recipe and since my husband really adores pork chops I will be making this soon, and also taking an extra chop home to him from the party this week! Thank you for bringing and have a wonderful weekend!
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Thank you Lovely Sue, they really were a no-fuss, easy, peasy dinner that was so flavorful. Oddly enough, my husband digs pork chops too, so I try to find different ways to cook them, and this was definitely a winner! Thanks for co-hosting today’s FF – enjoy your weekend, and have a happy V-Day!
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These look amazing and so easy! Will definately try them. happy V day weekend!
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Thanks Johanne, they really are a breeze to get dinner on the table and in under 30 minutes. Do let me know when you try them. I’ve cooked chicken and pork in balsamic and it’s always real flavorful. Happy V-Day to you too 🙂
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Wow, talk about mouth watering! I love recipes like this which take a short time to prepare when you are hungry but have no time! Glad to see you back rested and recharged from your fabulous winter sun holiday! xx
PS – Look at you, linking like a pro!!
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Thanks Selma, easy peasy, and so quick to get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. Yes, feel so refreshed, but off to Toronto now to check in on ma in law. To say their temps are frigid, is an understatement! I’m not looking forward to the 10 hr drive. Did I read somewhere that you are off to S.Africa? You lucky duck! I’ve always wanted to visit, especially since hubby has relatives in Cape Town and Jo’burg…. but alas the long, long flight from here puts me right off. Don’t forget to blog, not just on the food, but the country. 🙂
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Yes, I will be there next weekend – can’t wait! It’s such a gorgeous place to visit. I shall be blogging, never fear! x
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These pork chops look soooo yummy! Glad you had a nice time away, it’s always a shame when you have to come back isn’t it! haha!
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Thanks Michelle, they were indeed yummy! The time away made all the difference. It’s great when you get off the flight and you’re ripping off all your winter gear. Florida is wonderful in the winter time, but I would never go in the summer. 🙂
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I know what you mean, I went to Florida in December a few years ago and I was in shorts then, I couldn’t handle it in the summer!
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So you travel to the USA pretty often? I remember a post earlier where you were somewhere in the south? Was it Georgia? I forget.
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Yeah, it was Atlanta, Georgia – which still gets way too hot for me in the summer but not quite as bad as Florida! Where abouts are you?
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Yes, the south is just waaaay too hot in the summer time. We used to live in Texas, I loved the winters, but hated the summers there. We are in Delaware, smack dab in the middle on the East Coast. I imagine coming from England, you do not like hot, humid weather right? I know when my folks come to visit from England, they find the humidity hard to handle.
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Ooh no I couldn’t handle Texas! Yeah we don’t do well with heat in England, it gets up to like the 80s here and we’re all dying of heatstroke haha!
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as always, mouth watering, drooling right now! might have to try this easy peasy recipe one of these days. I’m glad you had some sun in florida. you guys up north definitely do need a break from those crazy snow storms!
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Yes, you’ll definitely have to give this a go. Florida was gorgeous, and truly although our temps have been real cold, we haven’t had any snow storms this winter. I think the folks north of us in New England have been blasted this year.
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I am not a big fan of pork but your photos are making my mouth water, Loretta 🙂 That glaze looks amazing! Happy FF!
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Thanks Naina, I can take pork or leave it, but Bert absolutely loves pork chops, so I think of various ways to present. The glaze was amazing, I use it on chicken too. Happy FF!
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I just might try it with chicken 🙂
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Chocoflan looks deli cious:-) grt to c u posting in between UE trips .. Happy valentine day
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The chocoflan I made around Christmas time, it was extra special. Happy Valentine’s Day to you too :). Thanks for stopping by.
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These look really tasty, I like the sound of all the ingredients in the glaze and can just imagine mopping it up with some good potatoes. Pork can be great when cooked well, and I’m all for qick meals that are tasty!
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Thanks Caroline, you’re absolutely right, over-cooked pork is awful! These brown up nicely in a pan, and then depending on the thickness, you finish cooking it in the oven. It really made for an amazing glaze that was mopped up by those crunchy smashed potatoes :). Thanks for stopping by, and happy V-Day 🙂
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The glazed pork chops look extremely delectable. And, so does the chocoflan dessert!
Happy Valentine’s Day, dear Loretta! ❤
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It was perfect Fae, the glaze just did it for me. Happy Valentine’s Day to you sweet Fae too :). Thanks as always for stopping by. I’m in between trips, and trying to catch up with blogging too. It’s addictive isn’t it? 🙂
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So kind of you to treat us to an entire meal – all of it very appetizing. Those chops may be easy as you say, but they do look very special too.
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Thanks Hilda, yes, that’s the beauty of the dish….. it looks so special, yet just a cinch to get it ready in less than 30 minutes.
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The pork chops looks amazing! Lots of flavor but easy to make… The entire meal is delicious!!!
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Thanks so much, it really was so easy peasy to get together. Happy V-Day and FF 🙂
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These pork chops look so juicy and delicious–yum!
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Thanks Nancy, and happy V-Day and FF!
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oh that Sweet and Sour Glaze caught my eye right away! This just sounds perfect for us too! I can’t wait to try it Loretta 🙂
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Thanks Dini… I’ll have to say the sweet and sour glaze did it for this dish. So simple, yet such flavorful ingredients put together.
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Sweet and sour glaze with balsamic vinegar – I like that idea. Then with those smashed potatoes and finishing it off with a chocoflan. I remember this post and that I mentioned I wanted to make one too. Who needs anything heart-shaped when obviously this meal is made “with love” 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day Loretta!
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Thanks Judi -yes I recall you saying you were going to look into the science behind those chocoflans :). The meal really was something that was put together so fast, yet it felt so special, like I’d slaved over a hot stove for hours. 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day to you too Judi. Enjoy your weekend.
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This looks amazing and those potatoes are to die for. Look forward to your future posts! x
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Thanks so much for stopping by Ka, I’m impressed with your blog and wait to see what you’ve cooked up as a student 🙂
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These Sweet and Sour pork chops look amazing! I am definitely going to give them a try once I am up and running. Please have a safe trip visiting MLaw and a Happy Valentines!
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Julie thanks……you should definitely give it a go once you’re up and about. How are you by the way? Hopefully getting stronger with each passing day. We were supposed to have left this morning for Toronto, but there’s a blizzard happening as I write this, so we’ve postponed it to a day later. I’m not at all looking forward to the 10 hr icy, snowy drive.
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I am improving daily! I go back to the doctor on Friday and will get a better idea on a schedule for rehab. I should be ready in time to plant spring flowers I hope. I’ve made a few trips to my parents home in ice and blizzard weather. It is so stressful and dangerous. Please be careful. 10 hours on a good day is tough enough.
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Loretta i am getting a copy of every comment you are receiving…..any way to make it stop? Thanks!! Johanne
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Johanne, that’s because you probably checked off “notify by email with responses” when you commented. That happened to me once, but once I unchecked the box, I did not get notifications from others. I don’t think I’ll get many more on that particular post. Please let that not deter you from visiting my blog though. :))
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I went back in to check that but it was not checked. Oh well. You are popular!:))) Are you in Toronto yet! My old home. I had my dental practice at Bloor and Bathurst. Still miss Toronto? Have a safe trip.
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Oh, I’m so sorry Johanne, I don’t know how that is happening if you hadn’t checked the “notify by email”.. Is it just for that particular FF post? Because I posted again today on our trip to FLA last week. Wow, no kidding! are you Canadian then? We lived in Toronto too – my mother in law (94) has just been moved to Hospice after spending a month in the hospital. So we are actually going there to clean out her Assisted Living place and spend time with her. Not a pleasant drive for 10 hours with the weather conditions, but we’ve done it so many times now in different weather conditions. I used to live in the East End near Don Mills and worked Downtown. LOVE Toronto in the summertime, but despise the winters. So now you’re still close to me – Philly right? 🙂
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Yes just this post. I live near Chanticleer in PA. I am from Timmins, Ontario, way up north! I went to university in London at UWO for undergrad and dental school. Then I moved to Toronto and lived in the Annex and near the Davisville subway stop. I sold my dental practice in 1990 to go back to school to specialize in periodontics at The U of Pennsylvania. Met my husband and ended up staying here. Taught at UPenn for a while and had my specialized practice in Wayne. I developed a pinched nerve in my neck and had to retire early. Now I blog:)
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Yum! Looks very tasty…! 🙂 And they’ve just declared that pork is healthy white meat here on Spanish TV!!!! So must definitely make this recipe – hurray! 🙂
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Yes,Lili, it is dubbed “the other white meat” over here in the USA :). Whereabouts do you live in Spain, or had I asked you before? What a great country! Our daughter lived there for 2 years so we had an opportunity to traipse around a bit each time we visited her. Would love to see some tapas recipes from you someday 🙂
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I’m in Barcelona Loretta … Yes, you asked me over on a post of mine but I don’t think you saw my answer. Glad you enjoyed your time in Spain with your daughter (it is lovely here),
Would be interesting to think up some sweet tapas one day! On the to-do list 🙂
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You had me at sweet and sour, I love that combination and the pork chops looks to die for! Quick and easy as well, just perfect. I love Florida, where did you go? Or should I wait for the blog(s)? 🙂
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Thanks Petra, they are very good. We went to S arasota, and yes the blog post went up today. mainly pictures, but just gorgeous.
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This sounds like such a fun recipe! I’m always looking for recipes I think my son and his g/f can make and I think this is one we’ll do together and print out for them! 🙂
Hope you had a lovely trip! I live in the North, but I always say that you can put on more clothes if it’s too cold, but only take off so many if it’s too hot! 🙂
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I like your weather analogy :). I keep telling myself that during the winter months. I hope your son and his gf will have a go at the simple, but flavorful pork chop recipe 🙂
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So I’m REALLY jealous of your trip to Florida! (It was 4 degrees here yesterday.) the nature walk looked really nice!
These chops look awesome. I never get creative with pork for some reason. I always use a pesto, so this will be a nice way to switch things up.
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Thanks so much. Yes, Florida was a lovely break from these awful temps we’re experiencing. Thanks for visiting my blog – I took a peek at yours, and would love to follow you. I see you live in Brooklyn; both my daughters do as well. Do try the pork recipe, I used the same glaze for a nice chicken dinner last night :). Thanks for stopping by.
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Thanks Loretta! What part of Brooklyn?
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One daughter lives in Williamsburg and the other in Bushwick. And you?
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I’m in Windsor Terrace
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Ahh, ok not sure I’ve heard of it. So nice to meet you, hopefully we can exchange recipes. 🙂
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It’s very close to Park Slope. Likewise!
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I love pork chops, but these are definitely out of this world! The glaze sounds and looks delicious!
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Thank you Ginger, that glaze would do well on chicken too 🙂
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Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?
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No comprende.
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