Featured Recipe
Pork Chops with Creamy Bacon Sauce
By Kate
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Seared pork chops cooked in rendered fat from pancetta, finished with a thick sauce of goat cheese and chicken broth. Bacon crumbled on top for texture and salt punch. Simple swaps for ingredients and times adjusted to keep things balanced. Sauce thickens by stirring, not by minute counting, so watch the texture closely. Pork chops gently carryover cook after pan, so pull them at just under done. Garlic aroma signals sauce start. Pan fond deglazed with liquid for flavor, no scraping shortcuts. About 40 minutes total from seasoning to plating with some wiggle room.
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Prep:
20 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
40 min
Serves:
5 servings
pork
bacon
dinner
cozy meals
American cuisine
Introduction
Pork chops, the meat that lessons both the skilled and the impatient alike. Searing is king here–dry surface, hot fat, constant attention. Pancetta lends fat and crispy chunks, but bacon swaps work with sensible fat content. Goat cheese brings tang, a shift from standard cream cheese for punch and reduced richness. Avoid rushing pasta-thin chops or chilling meat in pan. Keep eyes and thermometer focused. Sauce gains dimension from fond and careful whisking, no clumps or broken emulsions. Resting pork post-pan keeps juices locked–don’t skip. This method pays off in texture and flavor. Layered, simple, reliable. Pork chops elevated without fuss.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Using pancetta instead of bacon alters fat flavor and crisp texture. Pancetta renders cleanly without overpowering smoke notes. Goat cheese gives acidity and tang, ideal to break up richness–when melted slow over medium heat. Cream cheese or mascarpone soften the bite but weigh heavier for those watching richness. Olive oil added with pork prevents fat burn in skillet, especially with less fatty pancetta. Small pinch of salt before cooking pork chops unlocks protein structure for browning. Fresh garlic added late for aroma, burnt garlic ruins sauce. Low sodium broth controls salting stage when seasoning sauce. Fresh thyme optional but adds bright herbal top notes. Balancing fat and acid in sauce equals coated chops that cling to flavor.
Method
Preparing Pork Chops
- Pat pork chops dry with paper towel for better sear. Season evenly both sides with salt and pepper. Let sit room temp 10 minutes before cooking if time allows. Cold meat hits skillet poorly.
- Heat skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta pieces and sauté until fat renders, bits crisp up with crackle. Remove pancetta with slotted spoon, leave fat behind. Cool and crumble.
- Increase heat to medium-high, add a splash olive oil to prevent burning of pork fat. Place pork chops in pan, listen for sharp sizzle. Don’t overcrowd. Sear without moving till deep golden crust forms, about 3-4 minutes per side. Use a thermometer aiming for 140°F internal temp here; chops will rise to 145°F resting. Don’t poke or press meat—juices escape.
- Remove chops to warm plate, tent loosely to rest. Resting juiciness is key.
- Turn heat back to medium. Add minced garlic to reserved pan fat. Smell should bloom in under a minute, watch closely to avoid brown burn spots—bitter and dead stop flavor.
- Pour chicken broth into pan, scrape bottom firmly with wooden spoon to lift browned bits (fond), those are flavor gold.
- Let broth simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Dollop goat cheese in chunks directly into pan. Whisk constantly. Cheese melts, sauce thickens, becomes creamy. Should coat the back of a spoon. If too thick, thin with splash more broth. Season with salt and pepper. Taste often.
- Return pork chops to pan. Spoon sauce over, warm through 1-2 minutes. Reheat pancetta crumbs in sauce briefly.
- Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired for aroma and color.
- Pancetta can be swapped for thick-cut bacon; expect more smoky flavor. Avoid overly lean bacon, need fat to cook pork in.
- Goat cheese replaced with cream cheese or mascarpone for milder, smoother sauce, but flavor shifts.
- If skillet gets too hot and sauce separates, lower heat and stir vigorously. Acidic cream cheese or goat cheese can curdle if boiled.
- Resting chops under foil is crucial for juiciness retention.
- For thicker chops, extend sear by a minute but monitor temp closely to avoid dry pork.
- Don’t skip deglazing the pan or sauce loses complexity.
- Garlic can be swapped to shallots but adjust cook time as shallots take longer to soften.
- Pan sizes: use heavy-bottom skillet for even heat and good fond formation.
- If no thermometer, press chops gently; slight resistance with some bounce and no raw softness signals near done.
Cooking Pancetta and Pork
Building Sauce
Pro Tips and Alternatives
Technique Tips
Start by drying pork chops thoroughly–surface moisture steams, inhibits searing. Heat skillet medium first for pancetta fat render–too high burns instantly, too low leaves fat unrendered and floppy. Crisp bits removed before pork sear to avoid burning bits off later. Sear pork on medium-high, listen for steady sizzle, watch for deep crust. Pull chops off at 140°F for carryover cooking to stop drying out. Rest keeps juices in muscle fibers. Garlic time sensitive–add medium then quickly stir; burnt garlic gives bitterness and ruins sauce base. Deglaze with broth immediately after garlic smell appears–redolent, nutty browned bits lift sauce flavor. Cheese added off-high heat melts slowly. Whisk steady to get creamy texture, avoid lumps or separation. Thickness judged visually, thinning with broth preferred over gloppy sauce. Chops return briefly to rewarm and coat. Pancetta crumbs finish with texture contrast. Serve promptly for best texture and warmth.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Start with dry chops–pat them. Moisture? Ends up with steam. Sear first, surface browning crucial. Salt before cooking unlocks protein for better crust. Crisp it, don’t rush.
- 💡 Pancetta gives fat while cooking but bacon? Gets smoky flavor. Choose thick-cut for more meaty bits. Sauté till it crisps but don’t burn—keep an eye on its color.
- 💡 Timing is key with garlic. Smell should bloom. But burnt garlic ruins sauce. Stir it right after adding. Risk of bitterness? Watch closely and remove as needed.
- 💡 Sauce thickens by stirring not by time. If too thick? Adjust with more broth. Sauce must coat spoon well but not clump. Watch texture closely as you whisk.
- 💡 Rest pork chops after cooking—tent with foil to keep juices. Pork carries over cooking. Aim to pull around 140°F. Juicy meat is in pay-off here. Don’t skip.
