Pork Chops with Cherry Sauce

Double this as needed. It's only for 2 servings, but is worthy of extras for sure! Here's what you'll need for 2 pork chops:

Photo bypintrest

Ingredients:

• 2, 10-oz. bone-in pork chops
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme (can sub rosemary if needed)

For the cherry sauce:

• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 cups fresh sweet cherries, stemmed, pitted and sliced in half
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to allow them to reach room temperature for even cooking. Pat the chops dry with a paper towel, then season both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat and add the canola oil, heating until it shimmers. Place the pork chops in the skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side, achieving a deep caramelization. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the unsalted butter, garlic cloves, and thyme to the pan.

Once the butter melts, carefully tilt the skillet so the butter pools to one side (use a thick kitchen towel or oven mitt for safety). Spoon the hot butter over the pork chops, basting them continuously for about 1 minute.

Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of a pork chop to check the internal temperature. Continue cooking over medium-low heat until it reaches 145°F. Remove the chops from the skillet and let them rest on a cutting board or plate while you prepare the cherry sauce.

For the cherry sauce:

Discard the thyme stems from the skillet but leave the butter and garlic. Increase the heat to medium and add the remaining butter and minced shallot. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the shallot begins to soften.

Add the fresh cherries and chopped thyme, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until the cherries soften and release their juices. Pour in the wine, balsamic vinegar, honey, and mustard, stirring to combine and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, allowing the wine to reduce and the cherries to soften and burst. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the pork chops from the bones, slice them against the grain, and serve over the cherry sauce. Enjoy!