Description
Perfectly seared, spice-rubbed pork chops are finished with a sweet and tart compote made right in the same pan. A flavorful and impressive meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Units
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- 1 teaspoon (5ml) ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon (3.7ml) sea salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) granulated garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.2ml) bittersweet smoked paprika (or more if you want spicy chops)
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.2ml) freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.6ml) ground cinnamon
- 3 bone-in pork chops (preferably less than 1 inch (2.5cm) thick (about 1.5 pounds / 0.68kg))
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) ghee or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup (118ml) fresh or frozen cranberries (no need to defrost)
- 1 large apple (cored and coarsely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) freshly grated orange zest
- Juice of half an orange (about 1/4 cup / 59ml)
- Pinch of sea salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Mix the spices and salt for the dry rub in a small bowl. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and rub the spice mixture evenly onto both sides of the chops. If you’re almost ready to cook, leave the pork chops out at room temperature for up to 30 minutes (it’s also fine to cook them right away). If you’d rather cook later, cover and refrigerate them for an hour or two, taking them out at least 15 minutes before you plan to cook them.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. If your skillet is not large enough to hold all the chops in a single layer with a little space between them, use two separate pans or cook them in batches.
- When the pan is very hot, add the ghee or oil and swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add as many pork chops as will comfortably fit and let them cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes. You can test if they’re ready to flip by gently lifting an edge with tongs or a spatula—if the pork chop is sticking, it’s not quite ready yet.
- Once the chops release easily and are nicely browned on the bottom, turn them over and cook for 2-4 minutes on the second side or to your desired doneness. Keep in mind that the pork chops will continue to cook a bit after you remove them from the pan. Leaving the heat on, transfer them to a plate to rest.
- Add the compote ingredients (cranberries, apple, orange zest, and orange juice) to the skillet. Stir briefly with a spatula, scraping to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan, and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are lightly browned, the cranberries have burst, and much of the liquid has been absorbed. Season with a pinch of sea salt to taste.
- Spoon the hot compote over the pork chops and serve right away.
Notes
- If your pork chops are thicker than 1 inch, consider starting them on the stovetop and finishing in the oven for proper cooking.
- Ensure the cast iron skillet is very hot before adding the ghee or oil to achieve a nice sear on the pork chops.
- When cooking the pork chops, do not flip them until they release easily from the pan, which indicates they are nicely browned on the bottom.
- For a quicker version, you can omit the full compote and just cook chopped apples in the pan after removing the pork chops.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-Searing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 200g
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 38
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Unsaturated Fat: 25
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 50
- Cholesterol: 150