Ingredients:
4 bone-in pork chops (as you can see above, mine were pretty big)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 rounded tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 teaspoon thyme
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar or honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix all of the above ingredients in a dish or pan that just barely fits the pork chops, so they are submerged in the liquid. Let them sit in this marinade for at least an hour, turning over once halfway through the time, then pat them very dry with a paper towel.
Next, in addition to your pork chops, you will need:
Olive oil for frying
salt and pepper
one finely chopped clove of garlic
1/2 cup medium-dry cooking sherry
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon hot pepper jelly OR one tablespoon of honey and several dashes of hot sauce
It's a great idea to always have a cheap bottle of sherry and a cheap bottle of port around for cooking. You know how you always hear that you shouldn't cook with something you wouldn't drink? Well I don't agree. I hate drinking sherry, but I love sauces made with it.
Heat the oil, enough of it to just cover the bottom of the pan, on high heat. Salt and pepper the pork chops and then cook them about five minutes on the first side and about four on the second side. Then set them on a plate, cover with foil, and let them rest while you make the sauce.
In the same pan, over medium heat now, put in your minced garlic, then after only about 30 seconds of cooking, pour in the sherry. Let the sherry reduce by a bit, not quite half, and then put in the cream and the tablespoon of jelly. Take off of the heat immediately and taste for salt and pepper before pouring the sauce over the pork chops. Serve with roasted root vegetables (recipe here) and/or a wild rice blend.
