Pork chops with pomegranate-ginger sauce turn a weeknight skillet dinner into something celebratory: center-cut chops rubbed with coriander and garlic, panfried to a deep brown, then napped in a glossy pomegranate sauce spiked with fresh ginger and shallots. Pomegranate — the Armenian symbol of abundance — brings a sweet-tart depth that flatters pork like nothing else. One pan, thirty minutes, and the plate looks restaurant-made.
SERVES 4
Pomegranates are one of the most recognizable symbols of Armenia; they represent fertility, abundance and marriage. Pomegranate season was a special time for us growing up. My younger brother and I always looked forward to sitting at the dining table and enjoying the seeds that our mom had carefully removed.
Now I enjoy leveraging their unique and tantalizing flavor to elevate simple meals like these panfried pork chops.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SAUCE:
½ cup/120 ml unsweetened pomegranate juice
½ cup/120 ml Chicken Broth
½ cup/120 g shallots, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp/5 g fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp/20 g raw honey
3 sprigs thyme
Dash of sea salt
1 tsp/2 g arrowroot starch
1 tsp/3 g coriander
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
4 pork chops, center cut
sea salt and pepper
2 tbsp/30 ml coconut oil
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the pomegranate-ginger sauce, except the arrowroot starch. Cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove sauce from the heat and set aside. Once the sauce is cool, strain it through a fine mesh strainer to remove the solids.
In a small bowl, mix coriander, onion powder and garlic powder. Rub the seasonings mix on both sides of the pork chops. Generously salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot add the coconut oil. Place the chops in the pan and make sure that they are not crowding each other too much. Cook chops on each side for about 4 minutes or until well browned and cooked through. Remove the chops from the pan and set aside to rest.
As your chops are resting, add the strained pomegranate-ginger sauce to the same pan and bring to a simmer. Stir for a couple of minutes and scrape up any browned bits. Place your arrowroot starch in a small bowl and add enough filtered water to make a thin paste. Add this paste to the sauce and whisk until the sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon the warm sauce over the pork chops and serve.
Pro Tips
- Reduce the sauce by half before straining — concentrating the pomegranate flavor first is what keeps it from tasting thin under the rich pork.
- Strain the sauce once cool; removing the shallot and ginger solids leaves the elegant, glossy consistency that coats the chops properly.
- Don't crowd the chops in the skillet. Four center-cut chops need room to brown rather than steam in their own juices.
- Make the arrowroot paste with cold water before whisking it into the simmering sauce — adding dry starch directly guarantees lumps.
- Rest the chops while the sauce finishes in the same pan; those browned bits left behind are the sauce's secret weapon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use bottled pomegranate juice?
Yes — just make sure it's unsweetened. Sweetened juice makes the sauce cloying, and the honey in the recipe already balances the tartness perfectly.
How thick should the sauce be?
It should coat the back of a spoon and cling to the chops — the arrowroot paste brings it to a light glaze rather than a heavy gravy. Add it gradually and whisk.
What if my pork chops are thick-cut?
Sear them as directed, then finish in a 375°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes until the internal temperature reads 145°F. Thin chops cook through in the pan alone.
Is this recipe paleo?
Yes — the sauce uses pomegranate juice, honey, and arrowroot starch, all paleo-friendly. It delivers all the glossy richness of a classic pan sauce without butter or flour.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- COOKING INSTRUCTIONS In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the pomegranate-ginger sauce, except the arrowroot starch.
- Cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
- Remove sauce from the heat and set aside.
- Once the sauce is cool, strain it through a fine mesh strainer to remove the solids.
- In a small bowl, mix coriander, onion powder and garlic powder. Rub the seasonings mix on both sides of the pork chops. Generously salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot add the coconut oil.
- Place the chops in the pan and make sure that they are not crowding each other too much.
- Cook chops on each side for about 4 minutes or until well browned and cooked through.
- Remove the chops from the pan and set aside to rest. As your chops are resting, add the strained pomegranate-ginger sauce to the same pan and bring to a simmer.
- Stir for a couple of minutes and scrape up any browned bits.
- Place your arrowroot starch in a small bowl and add enough filtered water to make a thin paste.
- Add this paste to the sauce and whisk until the sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon the warm sauce over the pork chops and serve.
