Sweet Cherry Pork Chops
Sweet Cherry Pork Chops, an intriguing dish featuring pork chops simmered in a tangy cherry-orange sauce. This recipe offers a unique twist on classic pork chops, making them perfect for special occasions or everyday meals.
Sweet Cherry Pork Chops, an intriguing dish featuring pork chops simmered in a tangy cherry-orange sauce. This recipe offers a unique twist on classic pork chops, making them perfect for special occasions or everyday meals.
- Carbohydrate 23.0176895896022 g
- Cholesterol 137.31 mg
- Fat 21.6772916668236 g
- Fiber 1.20481247299882 g
- Protein 42.1659291672141 g
- Saturated Fat 6.26709375001877 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (331g)
- Sodium 115.354375000222 mg
- Sugar 21.8128771166034 g
- Trans Fat 2.824494375079 g
- Calories 464 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large skillet, brown pork chops in oil on both sides; drain.
- Add the orange juice, cherries and onions to skillet; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4-6 minutes or until a thermometer reads 145 degrees;.
- Remove chops and keep warm.
- Stir preserves into pan juices.
- Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into pan juices.
- Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes, or until thickened.
- Serve with pork and rice.
Ingredient lists rarely account for the thermodynamic reality of sugar-heavy pan sauces during storage, freezing, and eventual reheating. When fruit preserves and citrus juice meet high heat, the resulting reduction creates a glossy coat that behaves quite differently once cooled than it does fresh from the skillet. Understanding how this sauce structures itself around the protein is essential if you plan to divide the recipe across multiple meals or freeze portions for later consumption. Cook the pork chops only until an internal thermometer registers 145 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring the center retains enough moisture to survive the eventual drop in temperature and subsequent reheating without turning chalky.
Freezing cooked meat in a cornstarch-thickened fruit sauce requires careful management of moisture migration and starch retrogradation. If you intend to freeze these chops, submerge the meat entirely within the cherry-orange sauce inside an airtight container to prevent freezer burn, keeping in mind that cornstarch gels can sometimes weep or separate slightly upon thawing. When reheating from a thawed state, use a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat rather than a microwave, adding a tablespoon of water if the sauce has tightened excessively during its storage window of up to three months. This gentle thermal recovery melts the fruit preserves evenly back into the pan juices without overcooking the 4-ounce boneless cuts.
Leftovers kept in the refrigerator for two to three days present an opportunity for rapid second-day transformations where the pork can be sliced thin and served cold over greens, though gentle warming remains the standard path. Should the cherry preserves be unavailable, red plum jam provides a workable substitution at a one-to-one ratio while maintaining the necessary pectin levels for proper sauce body. Ultimately, mastering the thermal limits of both the pork and the fruit glaze guarantees that advance preparation never compromises the final texture on the plate.
