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Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops

by chunkyinkentucky Leave a Comment

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These Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops are seared and baked, then drizzled with an irresistible maple glaze. This dish is worth a little extra effort and doesn’t require any breading. Roasted sweet potatoes, and a sweet and tangy maple bourbon glazed pork chop make the perfect dinner.

bourbon maple glaze being poured over a garlic smothered pork chop
the secret is in the sauce

Contents

  • the bourbon pork chop glaze is amazing
  • ingredients
  • instructions
    • Brine Instructions
    • Sweet Potato Instructions
    • glaze Instructions
  • FAQ
    • Substitutions
  • how to cook thin pork chops without drying them out
  • time savers
  • how long are cooked pork chops good in the fridge
  • expert tips
  • Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops
    • Ingredients
      • Brine
      • Pork Chops
      • Glaze
      • Sweet Potatoes
    • Instructions
      • Brine
      • Sweet Potatoes
      • Glaze
      • Pork Chops
    • Notes
    • Nutrition
  • You may also like…

the bourbon pork chop glaze is amazing

This recipe for bourbon glaze is on our family’s weekly rotation because it’s easy to make for one-pot dinners or holiday meals.

  • This glaze is simply delicious. I pour it on everything from chicken to salmon. It’s pure comfort food. This bourbon glaze recipe will make any dinner delicious.
  • A weeknight-friendly dish for the entire year, served with healthy sweet potatoes.
  • Because these pork chops are ready in 45 minutes, they’re ideal for busy families or for meal prepping ahead of time.
ingredients for easy glazed pork chops, including raspberry jam, lemon juice, garlic, salt, bourbon, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and paprika
flavorful ingredients

ingredients

  • Pork chops – any kind is good.  You can use boneless, bone in, thicker is best for moist pork, but you can use a thinner chop as well
  • Warm water 
  • Olive oil 
  • Bourbon – you may use chicken broth if you don’t want to use bourbon.
  • Raspberry jam – any brand (you may also use blackberry)
  • Lemon juice– fresh squeezed is best, but bottled will also work in this recipe
  • Garlic – fresh or pre-minced garlic cloves
  • Ginger – dried or you can grate fresh ginger as well
  • Cayenne pepper– you may also use chili pepper
  • Sweet potatoes– diced in 1/2 inch cubes
  • Butter– real butter is best
  • Maple syrup – real maple syrup, no light substitutes (you may also use honey as a substitute)
  • Brown sugar- light or dark brown sugar will work well
  • Cinnamon– optional
  • Salt and pepper
  • Smoked paprika– gives a wonderful, full-flavor
  • Soy sauce- optional, a dash is all you need!
instructions for making seared, bourbon-glazed pork chops, including how to roast sweet potatoes with it
directions for making bourbon-glazed pork chops with oven-roasted sweet potatoes

instructions

Brine Instructions

  1. In a large shallow dish, combine the water, salt, and pepper to brine the chops.
  2. Place the pork chops in the brining water, ensuring that they are well submerged.
    Refrigerate the chops for 15 minutes to an hour after covering them with wrap or foil.
  3. Remove the chops and pat them dry after the time has passed.
plates full of sweet potatoes and pork chops with bourbon glaze next to a red and white napkin
sweet potatoes are are filling and delicious

Sweet Potato Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven at 400°F and add the melted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and smoked paprika in a mixing bowl.
  2. Spray a big pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with tinfoil.
    Place the potatoes in the pan and cover them with the brown sugar mixture.
  3. Toss to evenly coat. Bake the pan for 25 minutes. To brown all sides, flip them over from time to time.
pork chops with bowl of maple bourbon glaze

glaze Instructions

Bourbon brown sugar glaze is sweet and tangy at the same time. The perfect combo to jazz up any protein!

  1. Whisk together all of the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until the sauce has thickened and decreased.
  2. Heat the oil in a sauté pan for the pork chops. Salt, pepper, and paprika are used to season the chops.
  3. Place in the pan with heated oil and sear on both sides.
  4. Reduce the oven temperature after the potatoes have roasted.
  5. Bake pork chops in the oven after spooning the glaze over them (see recipe card for cooking times).
  6. Remove the chops from the pan and drizzle some glaze over them. Bake the pork steak for an additional 4 minutes in the oven.
  7. Remove them from the oven and let them aside before serving.
  8. The remaining glaze can be poured on the pork and veggies.
glistening glazed piece of pork chop on a fork
sweet potatoes and pork chops are the perfect pair

FAQ

Substitutions

  • Pork steak variations
    • If you like bone-in pork chops, you may substitute them with boneless pork chops in this recipe with no change in cooking time. In order to be sure, check the pork’s internal temperature.
  • This glaze may be used with chicken, turkey or salmon.
  • No bourbon? If alcohol-free, try apple juice in place of whiskey in the glaze. However, the effects of the bourbon is cooked out of the glaze at high temperatures.
  • Swap the maple syrup for honey.
  • No raspberry jam? Try blackberry preserves instead.
  • Swap the sweet potatoes for carrots.
  • Which bourbon is best for cooking?
    • As a Kentuckian, I suggest Buffalo Trace or Four Roses bourbon for this recipe. Check out the best bourbon for cooking.

how to cook thin pork chops without drying them out

Thin pork chops should be salted to prevent drying out. You may also use soy sauce or a seasoned dry rub with added salt.

platter with pork chops and roasted sweet potato
simply irresistable

time savers

Fresh-baked pork chops are best since they’ll be moist and tender right from the oven. However, you can prepare the brine and glaze in advance.

I like to prepare the brine and the bourbon glaze a day in advance, which significantly reduces your prep and hands-on time.

Just store the glaze in an airtight jar in the refrigerator until time to cook.

spoon pouring glaze on top of garlic roasted pork chop
the garlic and bourbon glaze are scrumptious

how long are cooked pork chops good in the fridge

Pork chops should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eaten within three to four days after making.

Oven-baked chops may be frozen for up to 3 months in a sealed, air-tight freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then re-heat.

cutting into a juicy glazed pork chop with a knife and fork
nothing beats that first bite

expert tips

  • If you want perfectly crisp pork chops on the outside, don’t skimp on the searing or the glaze.
  • If you have an oven-safe skillet, utilize it here since there will be less dishes to wash.
  • The key to a great pork chop lies in the internal temperature. To avoid overcooking and drying out pork chops, it’s important to cook them at the optimum temperature. At least 145 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal cooking temperature for pork.
spoon pouring thick, sticky bourbon glaze on top of pork chop

Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops

This bourbon glazed, maple soaked pork chop recipe is a game changer for busy weeknights. Amazing and crave worthy, you'll never need another pork chop recipe again!
4.50 from 14 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 437kcal
Author: chunkyinkentucky

Ingredients

Brine

  • 4 pork chops bone-in
  • 1 qt warm water
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper

Pork Chops

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ salt
  • ½ pepper
  • ½ smoked paprika

Glaze

  • ½ cup maple syrup or honey
  • ¼ bourbon
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar
  • ¼ cup raspberry jam *or blackberry jam or preserves
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice or lime juice
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon optional
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional

Sweet Potatoes

  • 2 large sweet potatoes diced into ½ inch cubes
  • 2 tbsp butter melted
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup * or honey
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp cinnamon optional
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika

Instructions

Brine

  • To brine the chops, combine the water, salt and pepper in a large shallow dish. 
  • Place the pork chops in the brining water, making sure to submerge the chops completely.
  • Cover the chops tightly and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to an hour.
  • After the allotted time, remove the chops and pat dry.

Sweet Potatoes

  • Preheat the oven to 400° and combine the melted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and smoked paprika.
  • Line a large pan with tinfoil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Place the potatoes in the pan and pour the brown sugar mixture over the potatoes.  Toss to coat.
  • Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.  Flip them over from time to time, to brown all sides.

Glaze

  • To make the glaze, combine all the glaze ingredients together in a small pan.  Cook over medium low heat till the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Pork Chops

  • In a sauté pan, heat the oil.  Season the chops with salt, pepper and paprika.
  • Place in the hot oil and sear both sides for 2 minutes, then remove from the pan.
  • When the potatoes have baked for 35 minutes, lower the oven to 375°.
  • Place the chops on top of the chops and spoon the glaze over the chops, then bake for 5 minutes.
  • Remove and spoon some glaze over the chops.  Bake for an additional 4 minutes.
  • Remove and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  • Serve with the remaining glaze.

Notes

Tips:
  • Pork can dry out quickly, you can use a meat thermometer to know when it is done properly.  Pork is done when it reaches 145°.  You can remove it from the oven when it is at 140° and it will reach 145°.
  • Brining the pork will help it stay moist and tender.  Brining the pork for an hour is best, but at least 15 minutes is important.
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 437kcal

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Comfort Food, Dinner Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Main dishes, One Pot, Oven, Pork

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