Pork Chops in Orange Sauce

A meaty bone in pork chop is always welcome in our home. We love them braised in a liquid to tender and about falling away from the bone as we often make braised pork chops with onions or a variation thereof and serve them with fresh mashed potatoes.

The inspiration for the dish came from scouring through my lovely collection of Williams-Sonoma cookbooks. They made a similar recipe using chicken, fresh orange and marjoram. It sounded delicious. However we have been a little chickened out recently and wanted a different protein. When I spotted bone in center cut pork chops for $2.19 a pound switching it out to pork was a no brainer.

Also I had purchased fresh thyme for the New England Clam Chowder I made a few days ago and knowing that fresh thyme compliments pork, that too was definitely going in the recipe. I have to tell you that if you are doing four chops I would increase the orange juice to a full 3/4 cup, but for our two chops I know that 2/3 of a cup will be fine.

This easy recipe is not only budget friendly, it is a family friendly recipe as well. It's a little out of the every day and yet does not have any hard to find ingredients. I do beg you however to pick up a package of fresh thyme as dried thyme just won't cut it in this quick cooking meal. Save the dried thyme for slow cooking and longer cooking dishes like chuck wagon beef stew or beef barley soup.

• 2 bone-in center cut pork chops
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup white wine (I am using Chardonnay)
• 1 large shallot - minced
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

1. Melt the butter and oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat. Sear the chops for two minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from the pan.
2. Turn the heat down to medium and add in the shallot and fresh thyme. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the shallots soften. 
3. De-glaze the pan with the wine and cook for about 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Add in the orange juice and turn the pan down to a simmer and add in the chops.
4. Cover and cook for about 20- 30 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops until the internal temperature reaches 145°.

Serve with your favorite potato recipe or rice and a vegetable!