Pork chops with balsamic-rosemary glaze

The magic (and versatility) of balsamic vinegar still impresses me, although I have been cooking with it for more years than I can count. The sour muskiness comes alive with the addition of just a little sweet — honey, in this case — and a touch of butter. In this recipe, I’ve added a sprig of rosemary and a smashed whole garlic clove to the pot while the balsamic mixture reduces; other times, it’s been orange zest and red pepper flakes.

I won’t cook pork chops without having an instant-read thermometer close by. It’s not that I am afraid of undercooking them — you can safely eat pork that is pink — but I take the internal temperature of pork to avoid overcooking it. Pork is now bred to be leaner, and as such, it can easily get dry when cooked too long. Cook it to 140-145 degrees and it will be tender and juicy.

Balsamic-Rosemary Pork Chops

1 whole garlic clove

1 sprig fresh rosemary

½ cup balsamic vinegar

½ cup water (or low sodium chicken broth)

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons butter

4 (10-ounce) bone-in pork chops, about 1-inch thick

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Smash the garlic clove with your knife handle and place it in a small saucepan. Add the rosemary, balsamic, water and honey, and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 teaspoon water and stir into the pan; cook 1 minute until the sauce is thickened and glossy. Remove from the heat and swirl in the butter until melted.

3. Meanwhile, season the pork chops with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium high. Add the pork chops and cook without moving until the underside is deeply and evenly golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side for another 4 minutes or so.

4. Transfer the chops in the pan to the oven and cook until an instant-read thermometer, inserted horizontally into the center of the thickest chop, registers 140 degrees, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour the glaze over the chops. Turn the chops over so they are completely coated. Return to the oven for 1 minute. To serve, spoon additional glaze from the pan over the pork.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS