Take advantage of seasonal stone fruit with these pan-seared pork chops drizzled with sweet and savory plum sauce. Served with crispy potatoes and tender broccolini, this meal will surely be a hit!
This post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. Thanks for supporting brands that make Zen & Spice possible!
Did you know that summertime is stone fruit season? That’s right! During the months of June, July and August, stone fruit is at it’s best. Being in-season means it’s fresh, ripe, and ready to eat. Stone fruits include peaches, apricots, plums, mangoes, nectarines and cherries. Basically, anything with a stone inside ;)
I have long been a fan of stone fruit. One of my personal favorites is my Baked Brie recipe that uses delicious fresh peaches!
Sprouts is my favorite grocery store to buy produce because it’s always fresh looking and they have a great variety. Sprouts also sells many fruits and vegetables that are hard to find in other stores — like broccolini, baby bok choy, and special greens like savoy or Napa cabbage. They also have a huge selection of fruits, especially unique fruits.
PICKING YOUR PLUMS
Today’s recipe features plums! When purchasing plums for this sauce, choose the ripest you can find. You’ll be able to tell how ripe they are by gently squeezing them. If they give a little, they’re ready! You want very ripe plums for this sauce so when heated, the fruit will break down more and get nice and saucy. You can learn more about how to choose stone fruits on the Sprouts website here.
This recipe for pan seared pork chops looks more difficult than it really is! To make the plum sauce, you’ll simmer diced plums, onion, garlic, brown sugar, and water, until the fruit begins to break down and soften. Then you’ll add red wine and rosemary, and simmer for another 15 minutes until it’s reduced by at least half. The result? A tangy, savory yet sweet fruit sauce. It reminds me of cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving meals, but it’s not as tart! The rosemary adds a nice savory and herb-y flavor. Rosemary isn’t just for winter meals!
The potatoes are simply tossed in avocado oil (my favorite for roasting because of the high smoke point), salt and pepper, and roasted for 15 minutes. The broccolini is sauteed in butter until tender-crisp, about 5-7 minutes. You want broccolini to still have a nice bite to it! If you cook it for too long, it breaks down and gets mushy and bitter. Keep it short and sweet!
QUICK TIPS FOR YOUR PAN SEARED PORK CHOPS
- Use an oil with a high smoke point, if you don’t have avocado oil, sunflower or vegetable oil will do just fine!
- Typically dry wines are best for cooking savory meats, pinot noir, merlot, and cabernet are all great choices.
Pan Seared Pork Chops with Rosemary Plum Sauce, Roasted Potatoes & Broccolini
Description
Take advantage of seasonal stone fruit with these pan-seared pork chops drizzled with sweet and savory plum sauce. Served with crispy potatoes and tender broccolini, this meal will surely be a hit!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. Sprouts Brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 cups plums, peeled and diced (about 5 plums)
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- ¼ – ½ tsp salt
- 1 bag of Sprouts Brand creamer yellow potatoes
- 1 Tbsp. avocado oil
- Salt + pepper
- 2 bunches of broccolini
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 4 boneless pork chops
Instructions
For the Plum Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the olive oil, plums, onion, garlic, brown sugar, and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the fruit begins to soften. Add the red wine and rosemary and simmer for another 15 minutes, until reduced by half. Once finished, remove from heat and set aside.
For the Potatoes:
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Slice the potatoes into quarters and toss in the avocado oil. Season with salt and pepper and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
For the Broccolini:
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the broccolini and stir fry until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the Pork Chops:
- Season the pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
- Lay pork chops in the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes on one side.
- Turn the chops over, reduce heat to medium, and cook for another 4-5 minutes (until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees).
- Remove the pork chops and set on a plate. Cover tightly with foil and let rest for 5 more minutes.
Serve the pork chops with a spoonful of plum sauce, and a side of potatoes and broccolini.