Pork Chops with Whiskied Pears and Thyme

For Christmas dinner, I didn't want to do turkey as the main protein because that's what we ate for Thanksgiving. I was going to go for beef, but my sister requested no beef. So I was left with pork. I don't think I've posted a recipe for pork up here yet. Not surprising as I don't eat it very often. I try to, but for some reason, I find it difficult to eat without being bored of it. This recipe is definitely an exciting one though. I have no excuse not to eat pork now.

My dad doesn't drink hard liquor so the only alcohol we keep in the house is red wine. Buying a whole bottle of whiskey just for 2 tablespoons seemed like too much to me, so I bought the tiniest bottle. So while everyone else was buying enough liquor for a house party, I bought just that small bottle. I imagine another type of alcohol might work as well. Rum, brandy, or bourbon? A pretty quick meal but seems super fancy and will certainly impress whomever you are cooking for.



Pork Chops with Whiskied Pears and Thyme [Makes 2 servings]
From Bitchin Camero

- 1 tbsp canola oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 butterflied pork chops (on the thin side – 1 chop should be the serving size for one person)
- 2 Bosc pears, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp whiskey

1. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s good and hot, begin heating the oil and season the pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides. Place chops in the skillet and cook them, undisturbed, for 2 minutes on each side. Remove the chops to a plate.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low, remove the skillet from the burner and add the chicken stock. Use a wooden spoon to deglaze, or scrape the nice browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the pears, thyme, lemon juice and whiskey and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the pears caramelize and become soft. Salt to taste (depends on your chicken stock).
3. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the pork chops back in, flipping them so that they become coated in the sauce. Serve each chop covered with a nice heap of pears and a drizzle of sauce from the pan.