Cast Iron Pork Chops With Pears & Ginger

Name: Cast Iron Pork Chops With Pears & Ginger
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 4 6-8 oz boneless pork chops; Sea salt & cracked black pepper, to taste; 1 TBSP olive oil; 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar; 2 TBSP unrefined brown sugar; 1 TBSP roughly chopped fresh rosemary; 1 cup Chicken or vegetable broth; 1 TBSP freshly grated ginger; 1 ripe pear (Bosc or Anjou), roughly chopped or sliced lengthwise; 1/2 sweet yellow onion, cut into wedges; 1 tsp corn starch; 2 TBSP cold water

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by Dana Sandonato // February 23, 2019 (updated January 11, 2024)

You’ll get a beautiful sear on these Cast Iron Pork Chops, not to mention pork chops with pears are a killer combo everyone will love.

Browned pork chops in a skiller with rosemary and pear and ginger sauce.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love Cast Iron Pork Chops With Pears

These pork chops come out with a restaurant-like quality, and that’s thanks to the beautiful sear you get from the cast iron pan and the warming sweet and savory sauce they’re simmered in.

Beyond that golden crust is an incredibly tender chop. No dryness and no toughness—just a juicy piece of meat you’ll want to cook up again and again.

What to Serve With These

If I’m eating pork or beef, mashed potatoes are almost always a must. However, these awesome little roasted mini potatoes would also be a fantastic side.
As for veggies, you can keep it simple with green beans or broccoli, or get creative with some hot honey carrots.
A simple side salad will never do you wrong.

Quick Tips

Use a splatter screen to prevent oil from spitting all over your stove and backsplash. This is hands-down one of my favorite kitchen tools! It’s so useful.
I suggest the use of tongs to flip the pork chops over instead of a spatula. Tongs allow more control.
Make small slits in the fatty edges of the chops to prevent them from curling when cooking. If the chop seizes, you risk an uneven cook.
Cook the pork chops until they reach an internal temperature (use a meat thermometer) of 135-140º F. They will continue to cook as they rest, bringing you to the preferred 145º F.
Last but not least, if you’re up for the task, brining your pork before cook time yields incredible results when it comes to flavors and tenderness. (You can use this turkey brine as a guide; pork brine recipe coming soon!)

Ingredients

Pork chops. I use boneless chops that weigh in at about 8 oz each. You could use bone-in chops, but cook time may vary, so keep a close eye on them as they fry.
Sea salt & cracked black pepper. Prior to cooking, I like to season my chops generously with salt and pepper. The salt helps tenderize the meat and prevent loss of moisture during the cooking process. (A brine will also do this because of its high salt content). As for pepper, it just adds a fantastic flavor to the crust that develops.
Olive oil. You could also use avocado oil.
Apple cider vinegar. An awesome flavor enhancer! The acidity balances out the sweetness from the brown sugar and the pears.
Brown sugar. Offers up a warm sweetness to the pear and ginger sauce.
Chicken broth. This acts as the base of the sauce. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer.
Ginger. I’ve used both fresh and the ginger paste that comes in the tube, which you can find in the refrigerated herb section of the grocery store. Both work!
Fresh rosemary. Can be substituted with fresh thyme or sage. You could also use dry rosemary in a pinch—but use 1 teaspoon as opposed to 1 tablespoon.
Ripened pear. Bosc, Anjou, Concorde, and French butter pears are probably the most reliable pears for cooking. They’re offer sweetness but, more importantly, firmness. So they keep their shape during the cooking process and won’t cook down to a mush.
Sweet yellow onion. You could very well use red or white onions, but since sweet and savory is the theme here, I like to use sweet yellow onions.
Corn starch & cold water. This is to make a slurry to thicken your pan sauce before serving.

How to Make Cast Iron Pork Chops

Carefully cut a few small slits into the back fat of your pork chop with a small knife, like a paring knife. Then generously season the chops with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 TBSP of apple cider vinegar, 2 TBSP of brown sugar, and 1 TBSP of chopped rosemary. Set it aside.

Heat 1 TBSP of oil in a cast iron pan over medium heat. When hot, add the pork chops and cook them until they form a nice golden crust—about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate or cutting board to rest.

Add the vinegar mixture to the pan and stir it over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Simmer until the mixture turns into a syrup (sort of amber in color). This will happen quickly, about 10-20 seconds.

Pour 1 cup of chicken broth into the pan and bring it to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Once it’s simmering, add the pear slices, onions, and ginger. Stir to coat and let everything cook for about 5 minutes, uncovered.

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and cold water together until the corn starch is fully dissolved. Slowly add it to the simmering sauce, stirring until the sauce has thickened. Reduce the heat to low and pop the chops back to the pan. Spoon the sauce, pears, and onions over the pork chops and serve!

Storage & Reheating

Leftover pork chops will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
To reheat, pop them in the microwave and heat them in increments until warmed through.

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