Pork Chops with Chestnuts, Onions, and Dried Plums

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Pork Chops with Chestnuts, Onions & Dried Plums
Photo: Andy Lyons
Prep Time:
35 mins
Cook Time:
12 mins
Total Time:
47 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
6 pork chops plus 2 cups sauce

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chopped slab bacon (about 3 ounces)

  • 6 6 ounce thick-cut bone-in pork chops

  • Salt

  • Ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed and drained

  • 1 cup roasted and peeled chestnuts (fresh or unsweetened canned or jarred), roughly chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced, or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crushed

  • 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

  • ½ cup dry Marsala or dry sherry

  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • ½ - ¾ cup chopped pitted dried plums (prunes)

  • Small fresh sage leaves (optional)

Directions

  1. In an extra-large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is brown but not too crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined small bowl; set aside.

  2. Sprinkle all sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. Add pork chops to hot bacon drippings in skillet; cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown, turning once halfway through cooking time. Using tongs, transfer chops to a plate.

  3. For sauce, add butter to skillet; heat over medium heat until no longer foamy. Add onions and chestnuts to hot butter mixture; cook about 5 minutes or until golden brown, shaking skillet occasionally. Stir in garlic and thinly sliced or dried sage; cook about 30 seconds more or until fragrant. Add broth, Marsala, vinegar, and honey. Bring to boiling. Cook, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until liquid begins to turn syrupy, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of skillet. Stir in dried plums and cooked bacon; season to taste with pepper.

  4. Return pork chops and any accumulated juices to the skillet; spoon sauce in skillet over chops. Cover skillet; reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes or until pork is cooked through.* Serve sauce over pork. If desired, garnish with small sage leaves.

*

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has dropped pork's final cooking temperature from 160°F to 145°F. This is big news for lean pork, which can easily dry out when cooked to 160°F. While there may be a pink tinge to the meat at 145°F, it is completely safe. (Do let pork cooked to 145°F stand for 3 minutes before serving.) You can always cook the pork to 155°F for a less pink center.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

575 Calories
31g Fat
30g Carbs
38g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 575
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 31g 40%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 115mg 38%
Sodium 369mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 38g
Vitamin C 11.2mg 56%
Calcium 30.3mg 2%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 828mg 18%
Folate, total 32.3mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.8mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.8mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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