Bourbon
Cherry Pork Chops
4 Bone-in Center Cut Pork Chops about 3/4 inch thick
Marinate chops for at least 6 hours or overnight in:
¼ cup olive oil, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, kosher
salt, pepper, and any herbs you like, rosemary, thyme, or an Italian blend.
Mix together 1/2 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder
and paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.
Dry pork chops and rub mixture into both sides. Heat a cast iron pan on high, then add 1 tbsp
olive oil. Sear chops on both sides, 2 at a time, then park on a sheet pan in a
350 degree oven until they reach 155-160 degrees. Should take about 10 minutes.
Once chops are in the oven, sauté 2 tbsp shallots in
the same cast iron pan (do not clean it out first) until almost soft. Add 2 cloves minced garlic, and cook for 1
minute more. Deglaze with ½ cup red
wine, and 2 tbsp bourbon, scraping up any brown bits. Reduce to
half. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock, ¼ cup cherry juice, and ½ cup frozen cherries. Let simmer on low for 10 minutes. Throw in a tsp of fresh chopped rosemary, and
fresh chopped parsley. Swirl in 2 tbsp
unsalted butter. Taste for salt and pepper. If you like a thicker sauce, you
can use a corn starch slurry to thicken.
Serve chops on platter, pour sauce and cherries over
the top and serve.
If you can get a jar of Woodford Reserve bourbon
cherries, those are the best. You can
use the juice in the sauce, about 3 tbsp. in place of the cherry juice.