Pork and fruit are always a good pairing, especially in a pan sauce. This recipe leans heavily on pomegranate, with hints of balsamic vinegar, mustard, honey, and savory aromatics, and it's well balanced and easy to execute.
I start with a thick-cut, bone-in pork chop, slather it with mustard, and season it with Cattleman's Grill Provisioners Blend. Then I sear it in a Finex cast iron skillet on my Yoder Smokers griddle until it's deeply browned on both sides. From there, I move the chop to a wire rack on the indirect side of the grill and bring it to 140°F so the inside stays juicy.
While the chop rests under foil, I build the sauce in the same skillet with garlic oil, shallots, garlic, pomegranate juice, hot honey, balsamic, and thyme. I reduce it by half and finish it with a little cold butter for shine. Then I spoon it over the chop and top it with pomegranate arils and fresh cilantro. It's sweet, tangy, and a little spicy, and it's a great dinner for two.
What You'll Love
- Pork and fruit in a pan sauce. Pomegranate juice reduces with balsamic vinegar, hot honey, and thyme into a sauce that's sweet, tangy, and a little spicy.
- A deep sear on a thick chop. Browning a ~24 oz bone-in chop in a Finex skillet on the hot Yoder griddle builds a crust before the chop ever sees indirect heat.
- Juicy inside. Moving the chop to a wire rack on the indirect side and pulling it at 140°F keeps the center tender.
- Mustard and Provisioners Blend crust. A slather of Kozlik's mustard helps the seasoning cling, and it adds a savory tang under the sweet sauce.
- Pan juices go into the sauce. The juices that collect under the rack get stirred in at the end, so nothing goes to waste.
- Easy to execute. It's one chop, one skillet, and one sauce, with pomegranate arils and cilantro on top for color and crunch.
Pomegranate Pork Chops with Pan Sauce
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Pork
Cuisine
American
Servings
2
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
55 minutes
Calories
850
A thick bone-in chop seared on the pellet grill griddle, then finished with a pomegranate, balsamic, and hot honey pan sauce.
Ingredients
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1 thick-cut, bone-in pork chop (about 24 oz)
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2 tbsp Kozlik's Market Mustard
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Cattleman's Grill Provisioners Blend
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2 tbsp Texas Olive Ranch Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for searing (from the 3 tbsp total)
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Jacobsen Salt Co. Italian Sea Salt
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1 tbsp Texas Olive Ranch Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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1/4 cup shallots, minced
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1 garlic clove
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1 cup pomegranate juice
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1 tbsp Urban Slicer Hot Honey
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1 tbsp Texas Olive Ranch Classic Red Balsamic Vinegar
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2 sprigs fresh thyme
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1 tbsp unsalted butter, cold
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2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
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1/4 cup pomegranate arils
For the Pork Chop:
For the Pomegranate Pan Sauce:
To Finish:
Directions
Preheat the Grill
I preheat my Yoder Smokers YS640s pellet grill to 450°F with the Yoder Smokers Cast Iron Griddle installed over the fire box. Then I set a Finex 10" cast iron skillet on the griddle to preheat as well.
Season the Chop
I slather the pork chop all over with the Kozlik's mustard. Then I season it with the Cattleman's Grill Provisioners Blend.
Sear
I add 2 tablespoons of the garlic olive oil to the hot skillet and lay in the chop. I sear it thoroughly on one side, flip it, and repeat on the other side. This takes about 15 minutes in total.
Cook to Temperature
I move the chop to a wire rack set over a pan, on the far right (indirect) side of the grill. I cook it until the internal temperature reaches 140°F. Then I tent it loosely with foil and let it rest.
Build the Sauce
I add the last tablespoon of garlic oil to the skillet, along with the minced shallots, the garlic, and a pinch of salt. I cook them for about 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as I go.
Then I add the pomegranate juice, hot honey, balsamic vinegar, and thyme, and let it reduce by half. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
Finish and Serve
I take the skillet off the grill and stir in the juices that collected in the pan under the chop. I remove the thyme sprigs, then stir in the cold butter until the sauce looks glossy.
I spoon the sauce over the chop and top it with the pomegranate arils and cilantro.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
What kind of pork chop should I buy?
I use a thick-cut, bone-in chop of about 24 ounces. A chop that thick can take a hard sear without overcooking in the middle, and it's big enough for two people to share. Ask your butcher to cut one for you if you don't see one in the case.
Why do you sear first and then move the chop to the indirect side?
The hot griddle and skillet give the chop its browned crust in about 15 minutes. Moving it to a wire rack on the indirect side lets the inside come up to temperature gently, so the outside doesn't burn. The pan under the rack also catches juices that go into the sauce later.
What internal temperature should I cook the chop to?
I take it to 140°F, then tent it loosely with foil while I finish the sauce. The USDA guideline for pork is 145°F, so if you prefer to follow that number, cook the chop to 145°F instead.
How do I know when the sauce is reduced enough?
I reduce the pomegranate juice, hot honey, balsamic, and thyme by about half, which takes me 15 to 20 minutes. When you drag a spoon through the skillet, the sauce should leave a clear trail for a second before it closes. Stirring in the cold butter at the end gives it a glossy finish.
Can I make this recipe indoors?
I'd rate this a 4 out of 5 for indoor cooking. You can sear the chop in a cast iron skillet on the stove, finish it on a wire rack over a pan in the oven, and make the sauce in the same skillet. It's better on the grill, where the pellet smoke and the griddle heat add flavor.
Recipe Highlights & Insights
Pomegranate does the heavy lifting in the sauce. One full cup of juice reduces by half, so the flavor gets concentrated and tangy. Balsamic, hot honey, and mustard add depth and a little heat without taking over.
The mustard works as a seasoning glue. Slathering the chop with Kozlik's mustard before the Provisioners Blend helps the seasoning stick to every surface. It also adds a savory tang that balances the sweetness of the sauce.
Scraping the fond builds the sauce's base. The browned bits left in the skillet after the sear are packed with flavor. Cooking the shallots and garlic for a minute and scraping the pan lifts them into the sauce.
Cold butter finishes it. Stirring a tablespoon of cold unsalted butter into the sauce off the heat gives it a smooth, glossy texture. Stirring in the juices from the pan under the chop at the same time brings the whole dish together.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 11 oz.
- per serving
- Calories
- 850
- Fat
- 54 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 16 grams
- Cholesterol
- 180 milligrams
- Sodium
- 1360 milligrams
- Carbs
- 36 grams
- Fiber
- 2 grams
- Sugar
- 30 grams
- Protein
- 53 grams
