Get the Recipe: Pork Chops with Peppercorn Sauce
Beautiful restaurant-style thick bone-in pork chops, served with a delicious, lick-the-plate-clean creamy peppercorn sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in centre cut pork chops, one-inch thick and brined if you like *See Note 1 below
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons (20 g) butter
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tablespoons (15 g) all-purpose flour
Creamy Peppercorn Sauce:
- 1 Tablespoon (14 g) butter
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) shallots or onion, very finely chopped
- 2 - 3 teaspoons crushed peppercorns, from whole black peppercorns
- 1/4 - 1/3 cup (60-75 ml) red or white wine, or dry Marsala wine
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken or beef broth
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 - 3 thyme sprigs, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy whipping cream (35% b.f.), or lighter cream and add more thickener (can omit for dairy-free)
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
To thicken gravy (add only as much as needed):
- 2 Tablespoons (15 g) cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) cold water
Instructions
- Tip! Brining pork chops is a great way to improve the finished texture of your chops. See the complete instructions for brining pork chops above this Recipe Card. Recipe timing does not include the time for the optional brining.
- Preheat oven to 400F. (non-convection/not fan assisted)
- Heat the olive oil and butter in an oven-proof or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the pork chops dry and season with salt and pepper. Scatter flour on a plate and dredge the pork chops lightly on both sides. Sear chops in a hot skillet until lightly golden on both sides. Pop the skillet with pork chops into the preheated oven and cook until pork reaches 135F, about 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops. (Note that this is a little less than the typically recommended 145F internal temperature for pork because it will cook a bit further on the stove-top and as it rests, it will get to the recommended 145F in the end.)
- Remove the skillet from the oven and place it over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Quickly brown the chops on the stove-top, then remove to a plate to rest.
- In the hot skillet, melt the 1 Tablespoon of butter, then add the onions and peppercorns. Cook, stirring, until onions are golden, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the broth, Dijon mustard and thyme sprigs. Reduce the heat to medium heat and allow the sauce to simmer/reduce for a few minutes. Add the cream and stir in. Taste the sauce and add salt, as needed.
- To thicken the gravy, make a cornstarch slurry by stirring together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the simmering gravy a bit at a time, stirring between additions, until the desired thickness is achieved.
- Spoon the hot peppercorn sauce over pork chops to serve. Finish with a generous grind of freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Note 1: You can use any pork chop, bone-in or boneless, with this delicious peppercorn sauce, but keep in mind that the oven time will vary depending on the type and thickness of the pork chop. Bone-in pork chops typically take a bit longer to cook through!
Tips!
You can use whole black peppercorns, or green peppercorns, red peppercorns or a mixture, if you like. Crush with a mortar and pestle or place in a zipper plastic bag and smash with a rolling pin.
White wine works well with chicken broth, while red wine is best paired with beef broth, but you can mix and match, as you like.
Cream is optional and can be omitted for a dairy-free peppercorn sauce.
For a little extra flavour, a bit of alcohol to flavour the sauce, such as brandy or cognac, would not be out of place.
The peppercorn sauce recipe is also great with steak!
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card for more tips on making this recipe!
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 578kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 51g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Cholesterol: 234mg, Sodium: 717mg, Potassium: 962mg, Vitamin A: 950IU, Vitamin C: 10.6mg, Calcium: 73mg, Iron: 2.4mg
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