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Molasses-Glazed Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes with Red Cabbage Slaw

By Jessica Rudolph

Published on February 22, 2022

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Molasses-Glazed Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes with Red Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced 1⁄2 inch thick3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided2 ¼ teaspoons table salt, divided1 ¾ teaspoons pepper, divided⅓ cup molasses 5 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided½ teaspoon red pepper flakes ½ head red cabbage, halved, cored, and sliced thin (6 cups)½ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless pork chop, 3⁄4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed

Before You Begin

Look for larger sweet potatoes, which make for more manageable slices.

Instructions

  1. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Cover and microwave until softened, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving; drain well. 
  2. Meanwhile, combine molasses, ¼ cup vinegar, pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon salt in small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cook until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk 2 tablespoons molasses mixture with ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in large bowl. Add cabbage, peanuts, and cilantro and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Pat pork dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper. Grill pork over hot fire until well browned and meat registers 135 degrees, 4 to 6 minutes per side. After 4 minutes, add potatoes to grill and grill until browned and tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Brush pork and potatoes all over with remaining molasses mixture (you may not need all of it) and cook for 1 minute, flipping halfway through grilling. Transfer pork and potatoes to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve pork and potatoes with slaw.
Molasses-Glazed Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes with Red Cabbage Slaw
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Chantal Lambeth.

Molasses-Glazed Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes with Red Cabbage Slaw

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Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced 1⁄2 inch thick
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 ¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¾ teaspoons pepper, divided
⅓ cup molasses
5 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ head red cabbage, halved, cored, and sliced thin (6 cups)
½ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless pork chop, 3⁄4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced 1⁄2 inch thick
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 ¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¾ teaspoons pepper, divided
⅓ cup molasses
5 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ head red cabbage, halved, cored, and sliced thin (6 cups)
½ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless pork chop, 3⁄4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced 1⁄2 inch thick
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 ¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¾ teaspoons pepper, divided
⅓ cup molasses
5 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ head red cabbage, halved, cored, and sliced thin (6 cups)
½ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless pork chop, 3⁄4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed

Why This Recipe Works

Quickly simmering the glaze reduced it to a thicker, stickier consistency that clung to the pork chops and potatoes.

Before You Begin

Look for larger sweet potatoes, which make for more manageable slices.

Instructions

  1. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Cover and microwave until softened, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving; drain well. 
  2. Meanwhile, combine molasses, ¼ cup vinegar, pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon salt in small saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cook until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk 2 tablespoons molasses mixture with ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in large bowl. Add cabbage, peanuts, and cilantro and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Pat pork dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper. Grill pork over hot fire until well browned and meat registers 135 degrees, 4 to 6 minutes per side. After 4 minutes, add potatoes to grill and grill until browned and tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Brush pork and potatoes all over with remaining molasses mixture (you may not need all of it) and cook for 1 minute, flipping halfway through grilling. Transfer pork and potatoes to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve pork and potatoes with slaw.

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