Pork Chops with Brandy and Prunes
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 14, 2011
Time
40 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Prunes
⅓ cup chopped prunes ¼ cup brandyPork Chops
4 bone-in pork rib chops or center-cut chops, about 7 ounces each and ½ to ¾ inch thick, patted dry with paper towels, prepared according to illustration 1 below1 teaspoon vegetable oil Salt and ground black pepper ½ teaspoon granulated sugarSauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 medium shallot, minced2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves 3 tablespoons unsalted butter Salt and ground black pepperBefore You Begin
In this recipe, “natural” pork chops—not “enhanced”—work best; the liquid injected into enhanced pork inhibits browning. Electric burners are slower to heat than gas burners, so, if using one, begin heating the burner before seasoning the chops. When cooking the first side of the chops, use color as an indicator of when to flip them; to determine doneness, use an instant-read thermometer—do not go solely by cooking times.
Instructions
- In a small bowl, cover prunes with brandy and let stand.
- If using electric stove, turn burner to medium heat. Rub both sides of each chop with 1/8 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each chop evenly with 1/8 teaspoon sugar, avoiding the bone.
- Place chops, sugared-side down, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, positioning chops according to illustration 2 below. Using hands, press meat of each chop into pan. Set skillet with chops over medium heat; cook until lightly browned, 4 to 9 minutes (chops should be sizzling after 2 minutes; if not, see "Do You Hear What I Hear" below). Using tongs, flip chops, positioning them in same manner. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook until center of each chop registers 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 3 to 6 minutes (begin checking temperature -- as shown in illustration 3 -- after 2 minutes); chops will barely brown on second side. Transfer chops to platter, tent with foil, and let rest.
- Pour liquid in skillet into small bowl. While chops are resting, add vegetable oil and shallot to now-empty skillet; set skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots have softened, about 2 minutes. Off heat, add brandy and prunes; set skillet over medium-high heat and cook until brandy is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Add pork chops’ juices to skillet. Off heat, whisk in thyme and butter until combined. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper; spoon sauce over chops and serve immediately.
Time
40 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Prunes
Pork Chops
Sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Prunes
Pork Chops
Sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Prunes
Pork Chops
Sauce
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a pork chop recipe that would produce juicy, tender pork chops quickly, we passed over hefty chops in favor of 1/2-inch-thick, bone-in rib chops. For juicy meat, we placed the chops in a cold pan over medium heat, then covered them. Although starting meat in a cold pan sounds odd, if not downright weird, we found that this unconventional method was the key to a foolproof, quick-cooking, weeknight pork chop recipe.
Before You Begin
In this recipe, “natural” pork chops—not “enhanced”—work best; the liquid injected into enhanced pork inhibits browning. Electric burners are slower to heat than gas burners, so, if using one, begin heating the burner before seasoning the chops. When cooking the first side of the chops, use color as an indicator of when to flip them; to determine doneness, use an instant-read thermometer—do not go solely by cooking times.
Instructions
- In a small bowl, cover prunes with brandy and let stand.
- If using electric stove, turn burner to medium heat. Rub both sides of each chop with 1/8 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each chop evenly with 1/8 teaspoon sugar, avoiding the bone.
- Place chops, sugared-side down, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, positioning chops according to illustration 2 below. Using hands, press meat of each chop into pan. Set skillet with chops over medium heat; cook until lightly browned, 4 to 9 minutes (chops should be sizzling after 2 minutes; if not, see "Do You Hear What I Hear" below). Using tongs, flip chops, positioning them in same manner. Cover skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook until center of each chop registers 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 3 to 6 minutes (begin checking temperature -- as shown in illustration 3 -- after 2 minutes); chops will barely brown on second side. Transfer chops to platter, tent with foil, and let rest.
- Pour liquid in skillet into small bowl. While chops are resting, add vegetable oil and shallot to now-empty skillet; set skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots have softened, about 2 minutes. Off heat, add brandy and prunes; set skillet over medium-high heat and cook until brandy is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Add pork chops’ juices to skillet. Off heat, whisk in thyme and butter until combined. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper; spoon sauce over chops and serve immediately.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
More Like This
Keep Exploring
0 Comments