Balsamic Plum Pork Chops

Plate with a serving of mashed potatoes and a balsamic plum pork chop garnished with fresh rosemary.

5 from 3 votes

Seasoned, pan-seared pork chops nestled in a simple sauce of fresh plums, balsamic vinegar, a hint of brown sugar, and woodsy rosemary.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 30

Total Time2 40

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: balsamic plum pork chops

Servings: servings

Calories: 360kcal

Author: Monica Lensink

Ingredients

1-2 pounds fresh plums
4 pork chops bone-in is ideal, but boneless is fine
kosher salt and black pepper
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar light or dark
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary plus an extra sprig or two as an optional garnish

Instructions

To make the plum sauce, place plums in a medium saucepan and add enough water to just barely cover the fruit. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Simmer for several hours, until the water has cooked off and the remaining sauce thickly coats the back of a spoon. Press the sauce through a fine mesh sieve and into a large bowl to remove the pits and pieces of skin. The remaining sauce will be smooth and dark purple in color. (This step can be done well in advance; the sauce will keep for 1-2 weeks in the fridge.)
When ready to cook the pork chops, try to remove them from the refrigerator 20-25 minutes prior to cooking. Season them generously on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper and let rest.
Warm olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and sear for 2 minutes without touching the meat. After 2 minutes, flip the chops and cook undisturbed for another 2 minutes on the other side.
Turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking the pork chops until their internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F. Remove immediately to a plate and let rest on the counter.
Pour 1/2 cup of the plum sauce into the skillet, followed by the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and chopped rosemary. Stir until smooth.
Bring mixture to a brisk simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and let bubble for for 6-8 minutes. If needed, add a small amount of water to ensure sauce does not become too thick and stick to the bottom of the skillet. (Whether you need to add water depends mostly on how thick your plum sauce was to start with. If it was very thick, adding a bit of water will help give the sauce enough cooking time for the balsamic vinegar to reduce properly and the flavors to blend without the sauce becoming overly thick.)
When the sauce is reduced to your liking, nestle the pork chops back into the skillet. Warm through for a minute or two, then remove from the heat, garnish with extra sprigs of fresh rosemary, if desired, and serve.

Notes

Plum Sauce: You'll have extra plum sauce -- it's just not practical to make only the 1/3 cup you need for the pork chops. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and is a great topping or mix-in for yogurt, oatmeal, and ice cream. Store in any jar or container with a tight-fitting lid.

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