![Porchetta Pork Chops](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/09/03/dining/porchetta/porchetta-mediumThreeByTwo440-v3.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
Restaurant-Style Pork Chops
![Restaurant-Style Pork Chops](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/05/20/dining/Restaurant-style-Pork-Chops/Restaurant-style-Pork-Chops-articleLarge.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- ¾cup maple syrup
- 1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1tablespoon dark brown sugar
- ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½cup pecans
- 4(1¼-inch thick) pork chops
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2green apples, cored
- ¼cup finely chopped candied ginger
Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat a broiler or light a charcoal grill.
- Step 2
In a small nonreactive bowl, whisk together the syrup, vinegar, sugar and cinnamon.
- Step 3
Place a small pan over medium heat, add the pecans and about 2 tablespoons of the maple-syrup sauce and cook for a few minutes, until the nuts are glazed and fragrant. Transfer the nuts to a plate and spread them out to cool. Transfer the cooled nuts to a cutting board, chop roughly and set aside.
- Step 4
Season the pork chops aggressively with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil. When the broiler is hot, or the coals are covered with gray ash and you can hold your hand 5 inches above them for only 1 to 2 seconds, broil or grill the meat for approximately 7 minutes per side. Brush with some of the remaining maple glaze every 2 or 3 minutes, turning them frequently to prevent the sugar from burning.
- Step 5
When the chops are cooked, remove from the broiler or grill and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, slice the cored apples into thick rounds, drizzle with olive oil, season lightly with salt and pepper and place on the broiler pan or grill until tender when pierced with a fork. These, too, should be brushed with the maple glaze and turned frequently.
- Step 6
Serve chops with the apple slices, sprinkled with pecans and candied ginger.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
The recipe was interesting and tempting. However, broiling the pork chops seven minutes per side is way too long. I broiled mine five minutes per side and they were still overdone. Three or four minutes per side would probably work well.
I cooked these in a pan on the stove for about a total of 10 minutes....much easier to baste. Sauce was great. Served with roasted broccoli with shallots and a pinch of red pepper, also the polenta. Really good.
My chops were only 5/8" thick so we grilled them about 3 1/2 min. on a side. (Very high heat.) They were juicy but not at all pink -- maybe even less next time. I halved the recipe but kept the apples at the same amount and would have liked even more. They were a very tasty accompaniment. Served with bulgar pilaf and bacon-braised kale.
Fantastic when broiled. Easy, attractive and quite tasty, with a perfect mix of sweet and tangy. We paired it with potato gnocchi in bechamel sauce (although spaetzle would probably be even better) and sauteed baby zucchini and tomatoes.
Diabetics alert! Wow, this sure has a lot of sugar in it. Too much if you have diabetes or prediabetes. Cut the maple syrup way down, add more vinegar, forget the brown sugar. Apples have plenty enough sugar to make this a tasty dish, yet won't send your numbers skyrocketing. Mmmm good.
I broiled them and they were delicious! I used the little bit of syrup left from sautéing the pecans as the base for a vinaigrette and served fried (leftover) polenta as the other side dish. Loved this meal. Will certainly make it again .. next time for company!
The nuts are to be added at the end as a garnish, not broiled with the chops. I subbed sliced almonds for the pecans and it was superb.
Were your chops the 1 1/4 inch thick the recipe calls for? That's thicker than most supermarket chops, unless labeled extra thick. Broiler time varies depending on meat thickness (and coldness) and closeness to the broiler (and the broiler itself), so it's not necessarily a recipe issue in my opinion, just common sense.
Browned these in a pan then put under the broiler 3 minutes per side (to160 degrees) and served with a potato "baked" in the microwave and applesauce. I also substituted monk fruit sugar for brown sugar for a lower glycemic index. Delicious! Will make on repeat for a quick winter meal.
I made this for dinner for my very fussy 7 year old grandson and my wife. It was a hit! I did make it stove top in a hot cast iron pan. I substituted pistachios for pecans because that’s all I had.We served it baby carrots and rice. A meat thermometer kept us from over cooking our 3/4 inch chops. We cooked them for 2 minutes a side between glazing. My only problem was that the sugar did get darker than I expected. Thank you.
Excellent recipe on the glaze. Was sumptuous. My chops were 2” thick so I seared first on a cast iron pan and then baked for 45 mins. I added the glaze in at the 40 min mark, baked for three minutes a side. Then garnished with the pecans, and substituted gourmet mushrooms for the apples.
Excellent, easy way to make tender, juicy chops. You have to be cognizant of the size of your chops and adjust cooking time to suit. Great sauce!
Excellent sauce. I was in a hurry so I didn’t bother with the last part. Great sauce for pork and I am sure good on the veggies you may make with it. Another winner for us from NYTIMES !
Excellent sauce. I was in a hurry so I didn’t bother with the last part. Great sauce for pork and I am sure good on the veggies you may make with it. Another winner for us from NYTIMES
My 3 year old son LOVED these (I omitted the pecans because they are a choking hazard). He loves pork chops so he was so happy with these.
Excellent. No pre-marinade. Cooked pecans with honey because I ran out of maple syrup - still very good
This is a terrific recipe. Flavors are amazing. Grilled the chops and that part about staying close and turning every 2-3 minutes if very true. Didn't have a simple apple corer but did have one to make large wedges so used that and baked in oven @ 475. Sauce with pecans...wow. Increased the sauce by a quarter and used some of that as a topping for accompanying baked sweet potatoes. An absolute winner. Lots of grunts as this was being enjoyed. Thanks for a great recipe!
My hands down favorite way to cook pork chops. The sauce was incredible. I used my favorite frying pan instead of broiling but otherwise followed the directions. Used my meat thermometer to check temperature to 175deg. F. Well done but not dry. Flipped the chops covering with sauce each time. So delicious. Served with fried tomatoes and home canned applesauce. Yummy! Thank you Sam Sifton!
My family lived this but I found it a bit sweet. I agree with previous comment to cut the sugar content down (you can find other recommendations to make a maple glaze with chicken broth). I made with polenta and Parmesan this time. Next time I plan to make roasted apples and Brussels spouts as a vegetable dish with this, add some bacon, and leave the glaze off of the apples.
This is a wonderful fall dinner. It was so delicious I can't wait to make it again.
Iron skillet 1 inch chops 3 minutes per side Delicious!
Not only was this easy to make, it was delicious! Highly recommend!
Don't be so "aggressive" with black pepper. It overwhelmed the maple. Otherwise so tasty. Grilled to 160 degrees. A bit more than 7 a side but I had indirect medium heat. Granny Smith apples needed extra time to soften. But so good.
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