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    Home » Recipes » Weeknight dinner

    Pork Chop Saute with Orange Mustard Sauce

    Published: Jan 21, 2010 · Modified: Feb 9, 2015 by Mike Vrobel · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    Let's put the saute with pan sauce technique to use again. Different meat, different sauce…but it's really the same thing, behind the curtain.
    *This was the second recipe I thought of when All-Clad asked me to test their d5 pan.

    I've complained before about how boring boneless pork loin can be. This recipe takes care of that with a crispy exterior and a flavorful pan sauce.

    The pan sauce is an example of why I keep going on and on about making your own stock. I freeze it in 1 cup containers for use as the base of pan sauces. Homemade stock gives you a depth of flavor and a richness from gelatin that canned just can't match. Stock makes a simple pan sauce into something sublime.
    *Of course, Michael Ruhlman says that if I would just make veal stock, it could be even better. He's probably right. But I roast a chicken every few weeks. Chicken stock uses the bones and scraps to make something delicious.

    Recipe: Pork Chop Saute with Orange Mustard Sauce

    Equipment:

    • 12 inch stainless steel fry pan (I love my All-Clad 12" fry pan. I was inspired to post this recipe as part of testing the new d5 All-Clad pans).

    Ingredients:

    • 5 boneless pork loin chops, 1 inch thick (About 2 pounds of pork)
    • 2 ½ teaspoon kosher salt (½ teaspoon per pork chop)
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (¼ teaspoon per chop)
    • ½ cup flour (optional)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon butter

    Sauce ingredients:

    • 1 small shallot, minced
    • 1 cup of chicken stock (preferably homemade, or substitute water)
    • Juice and zest of one orange
    • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Directions:
    *For an overview, see my Saute with Pan Sauce basic technique 
    1. Prepare the Sauce: Mince the shallot, and set aside. Juice and zest the orange into a small bowl. Add the chicken stock and dijon mustard to the bowl, whisk to combine, then set aside.

    2. Prepare the Pork: Sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly over the pork chops. Put the flour in a shallow pan, and coat the pork chops with a thin layer of flour, shaking to remove any excess.

    3. Prepare the pan: Heat the butter and olive oil in your pan over medium-high heat, until the butter has stopped foaming and is just starting to turn brown.

    4. Saute the Pork: Place the floured pork chops in the pan. Shake the pan to get the oil under the chops, then let sit for 3 minutes, or until well browned. Flip the pork, and cook the other side for another 3 minutes, or until well browned. Remove the chops to a plate.

    5. Make the Pan Sauce: Turn the heat down to medium, and add the minced shallot. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until just softened, then add the orange juice - stock mixture. Increase the heat to high, and scrape the bottom of the pan until all the browned bits of pork are loose in the sauce. Boil until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat, and whisk in the butter. Taste the sauce, and add salt and pepper until it is well seasoned.

    6. Serve: Serve each pork chop with 1 teaspoon of sauce drizzled on top, and pass the rest of the sauce at the table.

    Variations:
    *Pork tenderloin: Replace the pork loin chops with a pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 1" medallions.

    *Other citrus: Replace the orange with a lemon, or a couple of limes. When tasting the sauce for seasoning, add up to a teaspoon of sugarif it needs a hit of sweetness.

    Notes:
    *Serve with roasted new potatoes and a salad or a sauteed vegetable.

    *I prefer to buy a whole pork loin, and cut it into chops myself. When I buy pre-cut chops, they tend to be uneven in thickness, and a little too thin. It only takes a couple more minutes to cut them myself, and it is usually less expensive, because pork loin roasts tend to be cheaper than pork chops at my local grocery store.

    *As I said in the basic technique, don't crowd your pan!  You'll get steaming, not browning, and the crisp breaded crust on the pork is the best part of this recipe.

    *Cooking for a crowd, and want to double the recipe? (Like, say, five people, like I am?) Cook the pork in two batches, adding another tablespoon of oil and butter to the pan between batches. This is something I do so often that I should really make it part of the basic technique. Try to put the meat over the parts of the pan that have dark brown fond on them, to keep it from burning. I usually wind up turning the pan down to medium on the last turn of the second batch to keep the fond from getting too dark. Someday, when the kids are older, I think I'll have to buy another 12 inch fry pan...

    What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

    Related Posts:
    Saute with Pan Sauce basic technique
    Chicken Breast Saute with Marsala Sauce
    Sear Roasted Chicken with Shallot Herb pan sauce

    Adapted from:
    Pam Anderson How to Cook Without a Book



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    More Weeknight dinner

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says

      March 18, 2012 at 11:05 am

      Thank you, Maria!

      Reply
    2. Maria from Texas says

      March 18, 2012 at 2:30 am

      Ok, I was looking for a pork chop recipe that I could make and with ingredients I would surely have in my fridge...LUCKILY, one organic small orange did the trick!! Since I normally don't cook with salt, I was pressured to follow the recipe to a T.  So, I did, and after I sauted the chops, and made the sauce, I decided to place the chops in the sauce, and cover for 10 min on low heat.  I was scared that the acid of the orange would dry out the pork, but since pork chops maintain a level of fat, I did it anyway! OMG! I was so proud of myself, that they were tender enough to easily cut into, and the sauce was perfect.  There was another dimension to the flavor, due to the orange, and I craved another chop, so don't tell anyone, but I ate TWO!! sucking every drop of sauce off my fingers,   I was glad to be alone, as I felt like a little  pig!! YES, I will make it again, and this time, WILL REMEMBER to add the mustard!!LOLLOL As I forgot it!! I don't know much about food chemistry, but I think it might have added yet another dimension to the flavor...I think adding heat like pepper flakes and orange marmalade to the sauce might be interesting too! ok, I just read the crispy chops is part of the recipe.  Maybe next time, I won't put the chops in with the sauce!! Hmmm...Anyway, the directions were very accurate and EASY!!! I'm going to make this again for sure!!! Thanks so much for a wonderful treat!!! I feel like I accomplished a great feat!! I do appreciate your love of food...now I know I feel more confident to  experiment!!! Would be very interesting what certain ingredients do to food/chemically, and would love to hear about it on your future recipes, as I plan to follow your blog!!! YAY!!!! Namaste!!

      Reply
    3. A Year on the Grill says

      January 21, 2010 at 3:00 pm

      It's like a theme... what will he saute next? And no Applesauce to go with those Pork chops???

      Seriously, these sound so easy and they look wonderful. Great step by steps!

      Reply

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