Berry-Mustard Pork Chops: My best this year

Thus, why I made it yesterday for mother’s day. I didn’t get pictures, so none are coming, but this one should stand on its own merits: it’s the best thing I’ve made all year, flat out.

One little note before I go straight to the recipe – this dish hinges upon having a good berry jam. The first time I made it I had my family’s homemade black raspberry jam, which is completely seedless, and the best jam I’ve ever tasted, such to the point where I’ll shed blood to make it (my own, I’m pretty bad at picking raspberries). This run used red raspberry jam mixed with blueberry – both also homemade. That said, this could be done with store bought jams of any of those varieties, or blackberry, or currant, as the original Silver Palate recipe this is a modification of suggested. I would advise against moving outside ‘berry’ type jams – that deep, fizzy flavor really is what sets this apart from more classic apple based pork dishes. Anyway, without further ado, the recipe.

Ingredients

2 large pork chops

1/4 cup jam

2 tablespoons Pupoun mustard

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

black pepper to taste

Instructions

To prepare for this recipe, mix the mustard and the jam in a small bowl on the side. Ready the pork any way you like, I used 1 1/2 inch thick chops which I didn’t bother to de-fat this last time and they came out great: the recipe will cook off any fat.

Then, heat the olive oil in the pan, on a medium high heat setting. When the oil is hot, add the pork chops to the pan, searing them, and grating as much black pepper as you want onto all sides. Once the chops are browned, lower the heat to a medium-low setting, add the sauce, coat the chops in the sauce, and cover the pan. Then, let this simmer for 20-25 minutes, depending on how thick the pork chops are. Stir and turn the chops occasionally, but it should mostly be fine left alone.

That’s all there is to it. Serve the pork chops straight out of the pan, if you wish, and be sure to use the sauce.