Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes Braised Pork Chops 4.3 (60) 6 Reviews Look to pantry staples like vinegar and brown sugar to make this tangy, tender pork dish. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 23, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Servings: 6 This simple recipe for Braised Pork Chops comes from Southern Country Cooking from the Loveless Cafe by Jane and Michael Stern. To make it, you’ll first brown boneless pork chops in a skillet, then add a quick and easy mixture of brown sugar, red-wine vinegar, Worcestershire or soy sauce, and Dijon mustard. After an hour of braising, this largely hands-off recipe will reward you with tender pork chops bathed in a tangy, savory sauce. It makes for a delicious, satisfying dinner, especially when served with a side of coleslaw and some hush puppies, oven fries, or tater tots for added crunch. Our Food Editors' Favorite One-Pot Recipes Are Dishes You'll Make Again and Again Ingredients for Braised Pork Chops Boneless pork chops: This recipe calls for boneless pork chops, preferably center cut (which come from the lean tenderloin section). Opting for a boneless cut makes serving and eating easier, but if you'd prefer to use bone-in chops here, they'll also work well. Red-wine vinegar: A tablespoon of red-wine vinegar adds a pleasant brightness to the braising liquid. You can swap in apple cider vinegar or white-wine vinegar instead if you don't have red-wine vinegar on hand. Dijon mustard: We love the tanginess that a bit of Dijon mustard adds to meat dishes. If you don't have a smooth and creamy Dijon on hand, you could use a coarse, grainy mustard instead, but we wouldn't recommend swapping in yellow or honey mustard in this recipe. Light brown sugar: To balance out all the acidity, this recipe leans on a couple tablespoons of light brown sugar, though dark brown sugar would also be lovely here. When measuring brown sugar, you'll always want to pack it lightly in your spoon or cup to get an accurate measurement. Worcestershire or soy sauce: Adding a savory sauce like Worcestershire or soy sauce adds depth and a touch of umami to this recipe. To keep things gluten-free, you can swap in tamari instead. Garlic salt: A touch of garlic salt adds garlicky flavor and just enough salt to this dish. If you don't have garlic salt, you can make your own by combining three parts salt to one part garlic powder, or swap in a seasoned salt like Lawry's. Browning Pork Chops As when cooking most cuts of meat, we'd recommend letting the pork come to room temperature before browning. Be sure to pat them dry with paper towels to absorb any moisture—this will help them brown more evenly and build up a beautiful crust, rather than steaming when they hit the heat. To know when the oil is hot enough to add the pork, look for ripples on the surface and the faintest wisps of smoke. After you add the pork, try to avoid moving them for a few minutes; they'll release from the pan on their own when they're ready to turn. A heavy, high-sided skillet will give you the best sear while also helping to contain the sauce and juices as the pork chops braise. You can use a standard-sided skillet as well if you don't have a high-sided one handy. Ingredients 2 tablespoons canola oil Six 6-ounce boneless center-cut pork chops, trimmed of any fat 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire or soy sauce 1 teaspoon garlic salt Sprigs fresh parsley, for garnish Directions Heat oil; brown pork chops: Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Brown pork chops on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add remaining ingredients; cook until tender: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together mustard, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic salt with 1/3 cup water. Pour over pork chops. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Take a peek at the chops every 15 minutes or so to ensure there's enough liquid in the pan. If it's starting to look dry or overly reduced, add more water as needed. Remove pork; reduce sauce and serve: Transfer pork to a serving platter. Raise heat to medium-high and cook sauce until thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over pork chops; garnish with parsley and serve immediately. What to Serve with Braised Pork Chops There are countless ways to serve these succulent pork chops. Make like the Loveless Cafe in Nashville and whip up some hush puppies and coleslaw to serve alongside. Try them with creamy mashed potatoes to soak up that sweet and savory sauce. For a summery side, opt for homemade potato salad or macaroni salad. Pair them with braised green beans or these ultra-savory green beans with bacon. Add some crunch with from-scratch potato wedges, which you can bake while the pork braises. Storage and Reheating These pork chops can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. To reheat them on the stovetop, place chops and any leftover sauce in a skillet, cover, and heat over medium-low until pork is heated through, adding more water as needed to keep the pan moist. You can also reheat the pork chops in the microwave; use a covered, microwave-safe dish and cook until pork is thoroughly heated through. Using Leftovers If you'd rather repurpose the leftover pork chops for a whole new dish, give one of these suggestions a try: Slice pork thinly, reheat with some barbecue sauce, and pile onto rolls with coleslaw or pickles for BBQ pork sandwiches. Chop the meat finely and use it as a filling for tacos or quesadillas, adding a bit of enchilada sauce or salsa when reheating, if desired Make crunchy and refreshing lettuce wraps by layering sliced or chopped pork, soaked rice noodles, quick-pickled carrots , and hoisin sauce or chili sauce in lettuce leaves. More Pork Chop Recipes to Try: Seared and Roasted Pork Chops With Lemon Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops With Grilled Zucchini Soy-and-Ginger Marinated Pork Chops Vinegar-Braised Pork Shoulder Chops Broiled Pork Chops With Yellow-Pepper Puttanesca Vinegared Pork Chop Milanese With Radish Salad Parmesan Pork With Polenta and Asparagus Orange-and-Honey Glazed Pork Chops Originally appeared: The Martha Stewart Show, January Winter 2007, The Martha Stewart Show, January 2007 Rate It PRINT Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and freelance writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.