pretty by the bay

It only takes a little effort to turn an average meal into a spectacular one. Case in point: pork chops. I already mentioned Corey’s love affair with pork. I like it too, and lean pork is a great (healthy) alternative to boneless skinless chicken. But it gets boring. Pork is a fairly plain (read: bland) canvas, but it’s easily transformed into something great when you add a simple pan sauce. This one was meant to be paired with chicken, but I thought it would be a perfect complement to thick cut pork chops.

The secret ingredient in the sauce is bourbon – one of Corey’s other not-so-guilty pleasures. I’m not a huge fan of bourbon, but I have to admit that it added a great tang to the sauce. Bacon and dried cranberries elevated it to an even higher standard. It took only a few minutes to prepare, and it made these chops taste like something you’d order from a restaurant.

Pork Chops with Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

loosely adapted from Cook’s Illustrated; serves 2

2 thick-cut, boneless pork chops (roughly 1″ thick)

salt and pepper

1 tsp olive or canola oil

1 medium shallot, minced

1 slice bacon, chopped

1 tsp flour

1/4 c bourbon

1/2 c chicken broth

1/4 c dried cranberries

1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme

1/2 tbsp cold butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Season the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the skillet, turning the pan to coat; add the pork chops. Cook until evenly browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to an oven-safe baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the meat is cooked through (a meat thermometer will read 160 degrees). Cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chops, so check them at 15 minutes.

As the chops cook, prepare the sauce. Add the shallot and bacon to the same skillet used to cook the pork and saute over medium heat, until the shallots are soft and the bacon begins to crisp. Add the flour and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. Add the broth, bourbon, dried cranberries and thyme, using a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/2 tbsp butter, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove pork chops from oven and pour sauce over each chop.