Cherry Bomb Chops

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Total: 55 min
  • Prep: 15 min
  • Cook: 40 min
Advertisement

Ingredients

4 pork loin chops, bone-in (about 1 1/2-inch thick)

Brine, recipe follows

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

2 (15-ounce) cans tart cherries

1 cup Madeira, divided

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1/3 cup agave syrup

2 tablespoons grape seed oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Brine:

3 cups water

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon peppercorns

1 tablespoon agave syrup

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 cup ice

Directions

  1. Submerge pork chops the saucepan with the brine for 20 minutes. Remove and pat dry with paper towels. 
  2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. 
  3. Season the chops on both sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. Arrange the chops on a baking sheet and put in the oven. Roast the chops until an instant-read thermometer registers 90 degrees F, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, while the chops are in the oven, in a medium-size saucepan, add the canned cherries, 3/4 of a cup of Madeira, the orange zest, ginger, agave and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to a strong simmer and reduce the sauce by half. 
  4. Once the chops have reached 90 degrees F, remove them from the oven. 
  5. Heat a large skillet over high heat, add the grape seed oil and heat until shimmering. Add the chops, being careful not to crowd them, and cook for 4 minutes per side. They will be golden and have a hard crust. Transfer them to a serving platter and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. In the same skillet that the chops were cooked in, add the remaining 1/4 cup of Madeira and deglaze the pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the balsamic and cherry sauce and reduce by half. Turn off the heat, add the butter and stir to combine. Pour the cherry sauce over the chops and serve.

Brine:

  1. In a large saucepan over high heat, add the water and remaining ingredients, except the ice. Stir until the salt dissolves. Remove from the heat, add the ice and stir until cool.

Let's Get Cooking!

Sign up for the Recipe of the Day newsletter to receive editor-picked recipes,tips and videos delivered to your inbox daily. Privacy Policy

Thanks for subscribing to the Recipe of the Day newsletter. Check out all our other great newsletters from Easy Recipes, Healthy Eating Ideas and Chef Recipe Videos.

We're sorry, there was an error signing you up. Please try again later.

Advertisement

Julie H.

Made these last night for a family event and they were fantastic. Even my two toddler nephews loved them (albeit without the cherry sauce!). Everyone commented on how moist the chops were, and the sauce was really outstanding. I wasn't sure if I should drain the cherries or not, but since it had to reduce, I poured the whole business in and that seemed to work out well. I left out the butter at the end to keep down the fat, and it was still excellent. I made 6 chops and still had lots of sauce left, so I would say this sauce recipe is really double what you need for 4 chops. I used canola oil instead of grapeseed and it worked just fine. Served with oven-roasted potato wedges, green salad and homemade focaccia bread, and it was a hit!

See All Reviews