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Pork Chops with Cherry Tomatoes and Balsamic Reduction

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on December 8, 2014

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Pork Chops with Cherry Tomatoes and Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients

4 (8- to 10-ounce) bone-in pork rib chops, ½ inch thick, trimmedSalt and pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 shallot, sliced thin12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved2 garlic cloves, minced⅓ cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

  1. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add pork and cook until well browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side; transfer to platter and tent loosely with foil.
  2. Add shallot to now-empty skillet and cook until just softened, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until just softened, about 1 minute. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add vinegar, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until thickened and becoming syrupy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Pour any accumulated meat juices from platter into skillet. Off heat, whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over pork, top with blue cheese and basil, and serve.
Pork Chops with Cherry Tomatoes and Balsamic Reduction

Pork Chops with Cherry Tomatoes and Balsamic Reduction

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 (8- to 10-ounce) bone-in pork rib chops, ½ inch thick, trimmed
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, sliced thin
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Ingredients

4 (8- to 10-ounce) bone-in pork rib chops, ½ inch thick, trimmed
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, sliced thin
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Ingredients

4 (8- to 10-ounce) bone-in pork rib chops, ½ inch thick, trimmed
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, sliced thin
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Why This Recipe Works

After softening the cherry tomatoes in the skillet, we add balsamic vinegar and reduce the mixture to a potent glaze before finally enriching it with butter.

Instructions

  1. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add pork and cook until well browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side; transfer to platter and tent loosely with foil.
  2. Add shallot to now-empty skillet and cook until just softened, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until just softened, about 1 minute. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add vinegar, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until thickened and becoming syrupy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Pour any accumulated meat juices from platter into skillet. Off heat, whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over pork, top with blue cheese and basil, and serve.

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