Pork
Balsamic Pork Chops
Balsamic vinegar simmers with caramelized onions for a sweet and sour velvety sauce for pork chops. Pounded to tenderize rather than flatten, the pork is seasoned boldly with black pepper before crisping in a skillet. Quick enough to pull off on a weeknight, this main course will impress guests, too.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 small (7 ounce) yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 3/4 cups)
- 4 (10-ounce, 1-in.-thick) bone-in rib-cut pork chops
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1 ¼ teaspoons black pepper, divided, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- cooked polenta
- cooked leafy greens
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 175°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to caramelize to a deep golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. If onion starts to stick to skillet or brown too quickly, add a splash of water to skillet as needed.
- While onion cooks, working with 1 pork chop at a time, place chops in a large ziplock plastic freezer bag. Using the pointed side of a meat mallet, lightly pound chops to soften. Set aside.
- Remove skillet with caramelized onion from heat; transfer onion to a medium bowl. Wipe skillet clean. Sprinkle chops evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the black pepper. Sprinkle evenly with flour on both sides, and shake off excess. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to skillet, and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Add 2 chops to skillet; cook until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest portion of meat registers 135°F, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer chops to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet, and place in preheated oven to keep warm. Repeat cooking process with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 2 chops.
- Without wiping skillet clean, return caramelized onion to skillet. Add 1/3 cup water and red wine vinegar; cook over medium-high, scraping bottom of skillet to loosen any browned bits. Stir in honey, rosemary, crushed red pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and reduces by about half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, and bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium, and boil, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in cream. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, swirling skillet and stirring mixture until butter is emulsified and sauce has slightly thickened. Season sauce with additional salt and black pepper to taste.
- Divide chops evenly over a bed of polenta among 4 plates; spoon balsamic sauce evenly over chops. Serve alongside cooked leafy greens.
Related Recipes
Prawn
This variation of a classic sandwich uses mayonnaise, but not where you think! Mayo is brushed on the outside of the sandwich in place of butter to make the sandwich golden and crispy as it heats in a skillet. Plain Greek yogurt takes mayo's place in the salad—along with crunchy celery, roasted red bell peppers and scallions—for a satisfying lunch with less saturated fat.
Banana Bread
A last-minute, unfancy, deeply unphotogenic, invariably child-pleasing dessert, with very little sugar and a lot of warm, fuzzy feeling. Southeast Asian in origin, but top at whim. (Homemade coconut milk totally optional.)
Subscribe to our newsletter !
Sign up for our newsletter to be updated with the latest products and Thousands Of Tested Recipes, Perfect For Everyday Meals.
By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.