Balsamic Pork Chops

Here’s something to jazz up your midweek meals – Balsamic Pork Chops!! Seared to perfection with a gorgeous thick golden crust, and served with a balsamic glaze that is tangy and sweet – but not too sweet.

The balsamic reduction in this recipe is a great one to add to your arsenal because it is a secret weapon for wickedly delicious super fast meals (GREAT with chicken!). Use as a drizzle to fancy things up – just like restaurants do!

Balsamic Pork Chops

This might be a flavour pairing you haven’t tried before, but if you like juicy seared pork chops and sweet tangy balsamic reduction, I think you’ll be surprised how well they go together!

It is perhaps an unexpected flavour combination, but it works exceptionally well – and it’s something a little different to the usual pork chops.

Balsamic Reduction is one of those secret weapons that restaurants use to fancy things up. A little drizzle here and there makes the ordinary extra special, whether it’s a simple bruschetta or salad, or on a dinner plate.

Balsamic Reduction is EASY to make!

Also known as Balsamic Glaze, Balsamic Syrup – and probably a handful of other names that I don’t know about!

It’s made with just balsamic vinegar and brown sugar that is reduced until syrupy. The flavour is quite intense – tangy and sweet – so you don’t need very much of it when used as a sauce like in this recipe.

While some recipes will tell you to use the best quality balsamic vinegar you can afford, I say to use a good value balsamic. I find the flavour so intense, I can’t tell whether it’s made with a good value balsamic or a posh one.

So I reserve my posh stuff for using uncooked. 🙂

What to use Balsamic Reduction for

Basically, anything you put Balsamic Reduction on tastes better. Use it for salads, drizzle over crostini and pizza. As a dipping sauce for bread.

It is best mates with mushrooms, it makes beetroot fancy, and it’s fantastic to use warm as a sauce for meat and grilled vegetables. Like PORK CHOPS!

Ordinarily, Balsamic Reduction is made with just balsamic vinegar and sugar. For this recipe, I’ve added onion which not only adds more flavour into the sauce, it also creates volume so you can piled the sauce over the pork chops.

Plus I love how jammy the onion gets.

What to serve with these pork chops

I served the Balsamic Pork Chops with Crispy Smashed Potatoes. Here are some more suggestions for this to serve on the side:

• Mashed Potato or Cauliflower Mash (for a low carb alternative)

• Quick Cheesy Garlic Bread

• Crispy Smashed Potatoes or this Easy Cheesy Potato Bake

• Garden salad or any leafy greens with French Dressing or Italian Dressing

• Fresh, crunchy Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

Though I’m sharing Balsamic Pork Chops today, the sauce for this recipe is fantastically versatile and can be used for any meat or even grilled vegetables. I think it’s a bit strong for seafood though, unless used sparingly.

So whatever meat you have in your fridge, as long as you have balsamic vinegar and sugar, you can make this tonight!!!! I’d love to know what you think if you do try it. 🙂 – Nagi x

PS I tend more towards a savoury rather than sweet tooth so the sauce is less sweet than some recipes that are floating round on the internet. Some call for as much as equal amounts of sugar and balsamic which is far too sweet for me.

More pork chops recipes

• Another great pork chop marinade – my go to for all occasions!

• Sticky Baked Pork Chops – you probably already have everything required for the sauce!

• French Onion Smothered Pork Chops

• Lemon Marinated Pork Chops

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Balsamic Pork Chops

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Dinner

Western

4.89 from 27 votes

Servings4

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Super simple, yet serious flavour!! The Balsamic sauce is tangy and sweet, and this will go fantastically with any protein – chicken, beef, pork and even lamb! The flavour of this syrup is quite intense so you do not need much for each serving – just spoon a couple of tablespoons over each pork. While the total cook time may seem long, it is mostly hands off time because the balsamic syrup doesn’t need to be watched over as it reduces.

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 pork chops , 2.5cm / 1″ thick, about 200-250g/7-8oz each (excluding any bone) (Note 1)
• ▢ 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 garlic clove , minced
• ▢ 1 onion , finely sliced (~1 cup of onion, brown, yellow or white)
• ▢ 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 1/3 cup / 60g brown sugar (Note 2)
• ▢ Salt and pepper

Garnish (optional)

• ▢ Crumbled goats cheese or feta
• ▢ Fresh parsley or thyme

Cook ModePrevent screen from sleeping

Instructions

• Sprinkle both sides of pork with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the first side for 4 minutes until it has a lovely dark gold crust, then turn and cook the other side for 3 minutes. (Note 3)
• Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil.
• Add 1 tbsp oil to the skillet, still on medium high. Add garlic and onion, cook until translucent – around 3 minutes.
• Add balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar is melted. When it comes to a simmer, adjust the heat so it is bubbling gently, not rapidly.
• Simmer for ~5 to 8 minutes or until it reduces by almost half and is a THIN syrup. Then add the pork back into the skillet, including all the juices on the plate. Simmer, turning pork to reheat, for 2 minutes or until the the sauce becomes syrupy (to your taste) and pork is reheated. (Note 4)
• Serve, garnished with crumbled goats cheese if desired.

Recipe Notes:

1. I used pork scotch fillets but any steak-type cut of pork suitable for quick cooking is perfect for this! This would also be fabulous with pork tenderloin – either cut it into medallions or keep it whole and sear then bake to finish it off while making the sauce. This recipe is not suited to cuts requiring slow cooking to make them tender, like ribs, shoulder/butt

2. Honey also works but it won’t thicken quite as much / you need to reduce it further to get the same consistency shown in the photos. The flavour is lovely!

3. With this cook time, the pork will still be a teeny bit pink inside which is ok because it will be resting for quite a while while we make the sauce and it cooks a bit more IN the sauce later.

4. You don’t need to stand over the stove, but keep an eye on it. Don’t wander too far. If you leave it too long and it reduces down to a really thick sticky glaze, it can be salvaged by whisking in water.

The cook time for the syrup will depend on strength of stove, heat retention of skillet and size of skillet.

5. I served the Balsamic Pork Chops with these Crispy Smashed Potatoes by Sprinkles and Sprouts food blog. Here is an abbreviated recipe: Boil baby potatoes until soft, drain then leave in colander to steam dry. Crush lightly with fork or potato masher so they mostly stay in one piece, drizzle with olive oil and/or melted butter, sprinkle with salt, pepper and dried thyme. Bake at 200C for 25 min or until golden and crispy.

6. Nutrition is per serving for the pork chops only and assuming all the sauce is consumed.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 308gCalories: 417cal (21%)Carbohydrates: 15.2g (5%)Protein: 52.7g (105%)Fat: 14g (22%)Saturated Fat: 3.4g (21%)Trans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 146mg (49%)Sodium: 269mg (12%)Potassium: 945mg (27%)Fiber: 0.6g (3%)Sugar: 13.1g (15%)Vitamin C: 3.3mg (4%)Calcium: 30mg (3%)Iron: 2.5mg (14%)

Keywords: Balsamic Pork Chops, Balsamic Reduction

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Life of Dozer

When I took the overhead shot of the pork, I just shifted my camera slightly and snapped him in usual position…. 🙂

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