apricot balsamic glazed pork chops

hi! welcome to this week’s episode of ‘things I don’t normally cook but it has been requested that i cook something other than chicken.’ which, i get it. if it’s not scrambled eggs it’s probably chicken if it’s meat at all these days, so gentle nudges from person i live with, i hear/feel you loud and clear.

we’re doing pork chops with an apricot balsamic glaze today, which feels beautifully springy and gave me an excuse to scoop up the world’s cutest jar of apricot jam, plus the ultra-satisfying move of emptying a bit more balsamic vinegar from the jug (does anyone else feel this way? like when you use up an ingredient or get down the last bits of something and you think YES, GOOD LORD THIS WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT?)

if you’re a little like me, here are some other recipes that also use balsamic vinegar if you’re looking for a victorious cupboard purge:
beet and arugula salad with figs, sweet potatoes, and creamy balsamic dressing - swap the figs for a dried fruit or blackberries this time of year!
balsamic braised crockpot short ribs
honey dijon sheet pan chicken

so this pork sizzled and seared while i was in the midst of a meal prep frenzy, and i was so pleasantly surprised at how quickly and easily it came together. there are only a few ingredients for the apricot balsamic glaze, the actual chops, and whatever you feel like serving with them… and that’s pretty much it. eeeeeeasy does it, and she’s gorgeous and sort of fancy, too. we love!

I had leftover rice in the fridge, and asparagus looked particularly stalky and bright at the store, so i went with that. grilled green beans or roasty golden potatoes would be amazing, too, but please choose whatever makes your life easiest and/or things you like.

if you’re jumping on the seasonal vegetable caboose, here’s how i did the world’s easiest asparagus:
- heat about a tsp of olive oil over medium heat. saute the asparagus for 3-4 minutes. remove them from the pan, then toss with lemon juice, lemon zest, and a sprinkle of salt. that is truly it, friends. world’s easiest.

a few things before we get started:

- this is a really beautiful, feels-fancy, could be an impressive date-night dinner but is actually so easy meal
- as outlined in the recipe, the cook time for your pork chops will depend on how thick they are. i had some thiiiiiick bois so i erred a little on the longer side
- we’re using apricot jam because it’s silky-sweet, not too tart, and complements, rather than overpowers the pork chops. plus you’ll have extra for toast and swirling into yogurt which is great, too
- these pork chops would be fantastic on the grill! if you have a grill, please do this and report back
- serve the chops up however you like. i’m jamming on asparagus season so that’s what i did, but grab whatever looks best at your store

apricot balsamic glazed pork chops
makes: 4 servings
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 20-30 minutes, depending on how thick your chops are

for the pork chops:
4 boneless pork chops (mine were about 2” thick)
1tsp garlic powder
1tsp salt
1tsp black pepper
1 heaping tbsp of ghee or butter

for the glaze:
1/2c apricot jam
1/3c balsamic vinegar
1/4c broth or stock (I happened to have beef stock, but use what you’ve got)
2tbsp dijon mustard
1tsp garlic powder
pinch of chili flake
pinch pf salt

rice (or quinoa or a salad!) and a spring vegetable for serving, optional

preheat the oven to 400.
using a paper towel, pat the pork chops dry to remove excess liquid - this will help the spices adhere and form a crust! heat the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. season the pork chops with garlic, salt, and pepper on both sides. sear for 3-5 minutes per side until golden and crispy, then transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 8-15 minutes depending on how thick your pork chops are to finish cooking. mine were quite thick, so i went on the longer side.

meanwhile, heat the ingredients for the glaze in a saucepan until boiling, then reduce the heat to medium and whisk occasionally until the glaze reduces by half and becomes thicker and sticky.

once the pork chops are fully cooked, cover each chop in the glaze and serve.