Pork Chops with Cranberry-Thyme Sauce look and taste like it’s only for a very special occasion but it’s quick enough to put on your table any day of the week.
We love pork chops, and there are so many delicious ways to cook them. Pork Chops with Cranberry-Thyme sauce is amazing. It tastes like it’s only for a special occasion, but it is quick and easy enough to put on your table any day of the week.
When I grew up, all of our dinners were based on meat and potatoes. I don’t ever remember a piece of fruit touching the meat let alone cooking them together. That’s not the case anymore. There are a lot of recipes that combine protein and fruit such as my Raspberry Jalapeno Shrimp Tacos or Braised Chicken Thighs with Tart Cherries.
Breaded pork chops are our favorite as long as the chop is browned and not dry. Who wants soggy breading or a dusty chop? To keep this from happening, I put a quick sear on them in a hot cast iron skillet and finish them in the oven. The cranberry-thyme sauce is the perfect combination of sweet and savory to finish the whole thing off.
Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!
Pork Chops with Cranberry-Thyme Sauce – #CranberryWeek
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops bone-in thick 1-1/2"
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning optional
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp milk or water
- salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Sauce
- 2-1/2 cups cranberries fresh or frozen, thawed
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions
Sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add cranberries and sugar. Cook until berries break down and sauce is thickened approximately 5 or 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in thyme. Set aside.
Pork Chops
- Preheat oven to 275°F.
- Combine Panko, Italian bread crumbs, and Italian seasoning together in a shallow dish or plate.
- Pat pork chops dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
- Beat eggs and milk together in a shallow dish.
- Working one at a time, dip pork chop into the egg mixture and then dredge into bread crumbs. Put on a large plate or platter until all 4 are coated.
- Cover the bottom of a cast iron skillet with olive oil. Heat until hot. I test with a piece of Panko. If it sizzles it's hot.
- Place pork chops in the skillet. Cook on medium high approximately two minutes on each side or until browned. Turn over and repeat.
- Place skillet in the oven. Check after 10 minutes with an instant-read thermometer. Once internal temperature reaches 150°. Remove from the skillet to stop cooking. Spoon sauce over pork chop and serve.
Nutrition
Did you see that yummy side dish? I made Tri-color quinoa with Roasted Vegetables from Loretta at Safari of the Mind. A super friend and an amazing cook. My roasted vegetables included butternut squash, red onions, and portobello mushrooms. It went really well with the pork chops!
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I’m often asked about the supplies that I use in my kitchen. For your convenience, I used my favorite Instant-Read thermometer to assure these chops were cooked perfectly.
Are you keeping up with all of the amazing cranberry recipes this week? Here are a few more!
Welcome to #CranberryWeek, hosted by Caroline’s Cooking and A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We’ll be sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration. But first, see all the other cranberry recipes being shared today:
- Baked Pork Chops with Cranberry Thyme Sauce from Hostess At Heart
- Cranberry Caipirinha from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Cranberry Chicken Thokku from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Cranberry Cornbread Dressing from Sew You Think You Can Cook
- Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Cranberry Oatmeal Sourdough Muffins from Cooking With Carlee
- Cranberry-Sage Breakfast Sausage from Palatable Pastime
- Jaegerschnitzel with Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce from Caroline’s Cooking
- Pumpkin Cranberry Bread from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
If you like cranberries like I love cranberries, here are a couple more of my favorite recipes!
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake Recipe
Cranberry Apple Streusel Bread
Cranberry Vanilla Baked Donuts
Hilda says
Cranberries seem to be very popular just now, which is great because they really deserve all this attention. Your entire meal looks fantastic, and it’s so neat how you combined the pork with Loretta’s quinoa and roasted vegetables.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much Hilda! I really appreciate you co-hosting this weekend too!
Carlee says
What a delicious looking dinner! We didn’t eat fruit on meat much growing up either, but this looks like a perfect way to have them together!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Carlee! I’m like you. Once I tried it, I really liked it.
Liz @ Books n' Cooks says
This looks and sounds amazing. Your pork chops look like they have the perfect amount of crunch to them!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Liz. We really enjoyed them.
Loretta says
Yummmmm! Bert would have loved to have been a guest at your dinner table when you served those pork chops Julie 🙂 It’s by far his favorite meal and yours looks delicious. How sweet of you to feature my quinoa recipe, I love the seasonal veggies in yours. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family Julie. Will your kids be home? Are you cooking?
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Loretta! If you ever make it this way I’d love to make a plate for Bert! I had a small group for Thanksgiving. My daughter and her husband and John’s parents. I still made enough for an army though! John tells everyone about how good that quinoa dish is. He just loved it! How about you. Did you cook for Thanksgiving? Did the girls make it home?
[email protected] says
You had me at cranberry week! What a fabulous recipe – and beautiful too!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Annie! They’ve become a neighborhood favorite too!
Christie says
I have chops. I think these are going on the menu.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Christie! They sure have here.
Cindy Kerschner says
I love the sound of this sauce with pork!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Cindy! We really enjoyed it too.
[email protected] says
This dish looks very yummy Julie 🙂
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Jess! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
cookingwithauntjuju.com says
You make your chops similar to the way I make chicken breasts some times. The sauce is what makes it special – wish more people liked cranberries in my family as I do. Have a nice Thanksgiving Julie!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much Judi! I’ll definitely have to try chicken this way because I love the breading (shame on me). I’ve made so many cranberry dishes this week and my son just gave me a new one which turned out really well. Time to put some in the freezer. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I’m so thankful to have made wonderful people like you!
Quinn Caudill says
Yum! What a great looking recipe! Have a Happy Thanksgiving.Julie. I am sure you will have some great fresh baked bread. Google message me when you get a chance.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you Quinn! Would you believe that I underbaked the rolls? So disappointing. Everything else was yummy as I am sure your feast was! I messaged you so when you have a minute let’s catch up!
Caroline Williams says
That looks so incredibly tasty, love the sound of the sauce too (clearly we are thinking alike on that general theme today!)