Fresh Cranberry & Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops

These tender, juicy and deliciously colorful pork chops are spicy, tart and sweet and easily come together in under 30 minutes all in 1 single pan!

I’ve been all about exploring cranberry-everything this season and fell so in love with these chops from Half Baked Harvest that I wanna share this recipe here with y’all!

Why this Recipe Works

• Coating the chops in the a brown sugar spice mixture helps hold in their moisture.
• The tart, fresh cranberries are balanced by the sweetness of the brown sugar and the spicinessof the cayenne.
• Searing the chops creates a deep, dark, crisp crust.
• The dish easily comes together in under 30 min and is cooked in 1 single pan, making for minimal clean up.

What I want in my chops: a deep, dark, crisp crust to contrast a moist, juicy interior. YUM!!!

Just look at this crust!

How to Make this Recipe

• Coat the chops in the brown sugar spice mixture before searing.
• Sear the chops, 2-3 min per side, and set aside.
• Pour the sauce ingredients into the same pan, bring to a boil and put the chops back in.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and let the oven do the rest of the work for 10-15 min and the dish is all done.

Browning the chops builds up complex flavors, making the chops taste meatier and emphasizing their sweet porkiness.

Cooks Tips

• Choose thick cut chops (at least an inch) to achieve that crisp crust and moist, juicy interior.
• If ya have a cast iron skillet, now is the time to use it for the perfect sear.
• If you don’t drink wine, use more cranberry or pomegranate juice instead.

 Minimal ingredients and effort make this dish perfect for entertaining or easy, weeknight meals!

Here at the chops post searing and pre-oven:

 Here they are post oven:

All ready to enjoy with lots of that sauce spooned top:

Cranberries are NOT just for cranberry sauce!

The sweet-tart cranberry fruit deserves some more lovin’ friends and I wanna be a fresh cranberry advocate! Cranberries are not just for cranberry sauce friends! I’ll support ya to get your fresh cranberry game on, both sweet and savory style!

Check out these other recipes featuring fresh cranberries:

• Fresh Cranberry Braised Brisket
• Fresh Cranberry, White Chocolate & Oatmeal Stuffed Cookies
• Cranberry Gingersnap Pie
• Candied Macadamia, Caramel & Cranberry Tart

Have ya tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it and see it too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with #wavesinthekitchen. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious food and all sorts of awesome adventures!

Let's make waves in the kitchen!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Fresh Cranberry & Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops

These tender, juicy and deliciously colorful pork chops are spicy, tart and sweet and easily come together in under 30 minutes all in 1 single pan!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Dinner, Entree, Lunch

Cuisine: Californian

Servings: 4

Author: Daniela Gerson

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• kosher salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 4 pork chops bone-in
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup cranberry juice or pomegranate
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450 F degrees.
• In a small bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons brown sugar, cayenne, cinnamon, and a large pinch of both salt and pepper. Place the pork chops on a cutting board and rub them all over with the brown sugar mixture.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the pork chops and sear for 2 - 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove the pork chops from the skillet and set aside.
• In the same skillet, slowly pour in the wine and pomegranate juice. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar, the butter, cranberries, thyme, and rosemary. Season with salt. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and slide the pork chops into the sauce, cook for a minute longer and remove from heat.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 10-15 minutesor until the chops are lightly charred and the sauce thickened. Serve the chops with the pan sauce spooned over top.

Notes

• Choose thick cut chops (at least an inch) to achieve that crisp crust and moist, juicy interior.
• If ya have a cast iron skillet, now is the time to use it for the perfect sear.
• If you don’t drink wine, use more cranberry or pomegranate juice instead.