Prep Time: 20 minutes
Wait Time: 1-3 hours
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Yields: 5 Pork Chops
Ingredients:
4-5 Pork Chops
2 tbsp Ginger
3 tbsp Balsamic White Vinegar
4 tbsp Olive Oil plus drizzle for searing
2 tsp Kosher Salt or Rock Salt
2 whole cloves Garlic
Fresh Thyme
2 dried small Chili peppers
4 tbsp Honey
2 tsp Tamari Soy Sauce
Kosher Salt or Rock Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Instructions:
Step 1. Take your pork chops out of the packaging. Rinse to get off that weird slime and pat dry with a paper towel.
Step 2. Place into a plastic bag. Add in 2 tbsp Ginger, 3 tbsp Balsamic White Vinegar, 3 tbsp Olive Oil, and salt. Place in fridge for 1-3 hours. The ginger, vinegar, and salt will tenderize your chops.
Step 3. While your pork is in the fridge, prepare the glaze. I use a mortar and pestal to really grind everything up. Crush and chop your 2 cloves of garlic into tiny slices, remove your thyme from the stems, and add in the two dried chilies. Grind the heck out of it all together. Once crushed, Add in 1 tbsp of Olive Oil, 2 tsp Tamari Soy Sauce, 4 tbsp Honey. Grind it all together until evenly mixed. Cover it and let it rest while you are waiting for your pork. Letting it rest is important because the chilies will become soft and the honey can become infused with the garlic and thyme.
Preheat your oven to 450° F.
Step 4. After your pork is done marinating, take it out of the fridge. Heat up a skillet or frying pan to medium high heat. Drizzle a drizzle (?) of Olive oil down and let it heat up. Take your pork chops out of the bag and let the excess juice drip off. Sear the chops on both sides until a nice golden brown appears.
Step 5. I used a cast iron skillet to sear so I decided to use the same skillet for my oven bake. If you are using a different pan, grab an oven safe small casserole dish or baking pan/tin. Arrange your seared chops so that they are not too covered up by one another so it evenly cooks. I do a pinwheel that I turn over half way through.
Step 6. Pour your glaze sauce over the chops. Place in the oven. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes, then flip your chops over and bake for another 10 minutes. For the last 5 minutes, I hike up the oven to a 500°F broil. I broil it just enough to caramelize the glaze and add a nice crust to the chops. Use a meat thermometer and make sure your chops are at least 145°F. Let them rest for 3-5 minutes before removing from pan and plating.
The USDA recommends cooking chops, roasts, loins, and tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145° F, followed by a three-minute rest.
ENJOY. I paired it with roasted green beans and mashed potatoes.
