Brandied-Peach Pork Chops
From the kitchen of CarlyThick-cut pork chops get a luxe treatment with a brandy-flambéed pan sauce of caramelized shallots, fresh thyme, and sweet peaches. The preserves add body to the sauce while the brandy brings subtle warmth. Simple, elegant, surprisingly quick.
- Prep
- n/a
- Cook
- n/a
- Total
- n/a
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients
4 servings
- 14 (1-inch-thick) loin pork chops
- 12 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 11/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
- 11 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
- 11/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon brandy, divided
- 11 (10-ounce) bag frozen peaches, thawed
- 11/3 cup peach preserves
Instructions
Pat pork chops dry, then sprinkle on both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (total).
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook pork chops, turning once, until browned and just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet.
Heat butter in skillet over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook shallots with thyme, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden-brown, about 5 minutes.
Add 1/4 cup brandy to skillet and carefully ignite with a kitchen match (use caution; flames will shoot up), then cook over medium heat, scraping bottom of skillet to loosen brown bits. When flames subside, add peaches, preserves, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and cook, covered, until peaches are tender and juicy, about 3 minutes. Stir in remaining tablespoon brandy, any meat juices from platter, and salt and pepper to taste, then spoon sauce over chops.