How To Make Maple Glazed Pork Chops

Jump to Recipe

We’ve all been confronted with a chewy, over-cooked, disappointing pork chop. Pork has become increasingly lean over the last decades, which is great for the waistline, but terrible for the cook, as there is no fat left to keep the meat tender and juicy. This is where a small amount of preparation can make the world of difference, banishing tough old chops forever.

Table of Contents

The secret to juicy pork chops

The secret to super juicy pork chops is brining the meat. Those clever Americans have been doing this for years, but it is only recently that it has become more popular worldwide. There’s loads of interesting science as to how it all works but put simply, giving your meat a little saltwater bath will both tenderise it, and stop it drying out in the pan. It also bumps up the flavour beautifully, as you’ll see in today’s recipe Maple Glazed Pork Chops.

What are Maple Glazed Pork Chops all about?

After a quick dip in the brine, these pork chops are coated in a sticky maple glaze and pan fried. The glaze is sweet and tangy and the combination of Canadian maple syrup and Italian balsamic vinegar is a match made in culinary heaven. It coats the chops and cooks down to a terrific pan sauce.

This is a quick and easy recipe and full of fantastic flavour.

Cook over a medium heat for best results

I say this all the time, but it bears repeating. Cook marinated or glazed meat over a medium heat for best results. We’ve all watched television chefs get frying pans and skillets screaming hot before they put the meat in. While this is tempting (and looks cheffy and dramatic!) when you are dealing with marinated meat it will simply burn. This is because the sugars in the marinade need a lower heat to caramelise beautifully.

Cook the chops over a gentle heat – if you have the pan extra hot the maple syrup will burn.

Let your pork come up to room temperature before cooking

Especially when dealing with thick chops, it is a good idea to let your meat come up to room temperature or thereabouts before it hits the frying pan. The combination of very cold meat and a hot pan is only going to lead to disappointment, as the outside will overcook, while the inside will be underdone.

It is perfectly safe to let your meat come up to temperature on the counter or work top for half an hour before cooking.

Pork can even be pink!

On the subject of cooking pork, it’s important to know that pork can now officially be cooked to the same internal temperature as beef or lamb. Many of us have been overcooking pork for years, which has why it is so tough. Even the extra cautious U.S.D.A has confirmed that pork can be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F / 62.5°C.

If you are at all unsure about whether your pork is cooked through, I use and highly recommend an Instant Read Digital thermometer, like this one.

What to serve with Maple Pork Chops?

I like to serve these chops with new potatoes and asparagus when it is in season, though if you are in a hurry, a salad and a loaf of good bread would be just as good.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do I have to brine the Pork Chops?

Not at all, it just helps to keep the meat moist and adds flavour. If you get good quality chops with a good bit of fat on them they are less likely to need brine.

How can I tell if Pork chops are cooked?

The most accurate way is to use a meat thermometer – remove the pork from the pan when the temperature is 62°C / 145°F. The pork will continue to cook as it rests. If you have a very thick cut of meat it will need longer than a super skinny chop. Because you are cooking these chops over medium heat, rather than searing hot, you have a little more lee-way.