One of the easiest ways to create a delectable sauce for meats with little effort is to utilize all-fruit, no-sugar-added jams from your local natural food store. Or better yet, make your own! Apricot jam is one of my favorites, and it goes amazingly well with chicken or pork, as you’ll find out in this recipe. You’ll be doing a happy dance when dinner is not only speedy-quick on a Monday night, but also tastes restaurant-worthy—all because you made it ahead and popped it in the freezer. Way to go, you!
PORK CHOPS
4 bone-in, thick-cut pork chops
2 TBSP coconut oil for serving day
SAUCE INGREDIENTS
½ cup all-fruit, no-sugar-added apricot jam
1/3 cup diced yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP orange juice
½ tsp granulated onion
½ tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Serves 4
Prep Day:
Place the pork chops in a 1-gallon freezer bag and seal.
Place a 1-quart bag in a tall container to help stabilize it, and place the sauce ingredients in the bag. Push the air out of the bag, and seal. Gently squish the contents around to combine them.
Place the bag of pork chops and the bag of sauce in another 1-gallon freezer bag, push out the air, seal, and freeze until needed.
Serving Day:
Thaw the pork chops and sauce in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to cook, melt the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the pork chops with sea salt and pepper, and cook them in the heated oil until browned and almost cooked through, 5-7 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the meat.
Pour the sauce over the chops, being careful to avoid hot splatters. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chops are cooked and the sauce has thickened a bit, about 5 minutes. Serve the chops with lots of sauce spooned over them.
