Mustard Pork Chops ~ this is a quick and easy 30-minute meal that comes from Nigella Lawson, so you know it’s also comforting and luxurious!
I’m more and more convinced that quick and easy meals are the way to go… by necessity, of course, who has the time for anything else…but also for flavor and enjoyment. I don’t want to sit down to a meal, however delicious, that took me hours to create — I’m too tired to enjoy it. And long involved cooking doesn’t always equate to better or more flavor, sometimes a simple treatment can have more oomph than an elaborate meal. Why bake a potato when you can boil or roast these little guys in a fraction of the time? Why cook a roast for hours when you can grill pork chops in the time it takes you to set the table?
I’ve posted quick and easy fish, chicken, lamb, and even vegetarian dishes. Here’s one for the oft forgotten meat, pork. I grew up eating pork roast, and pork chops, but for some reason I rarely find myself in front of the pork section in the grocery store. But I firmly believe that variety is key, not only for health, but to inspire a continued commitment to cooking and eating well. I can easily get bored with salmon or chicken every night of the week, and these tangy mustard pork chops break up the routine.
The mustard sauce couldn’t be simpler, it’s just a blending of hard cider, (the alcohol quickly cooks off) whole grain mustard, and cream. It’s worth keeping whole grain mustard around, it works really well in sauces, and you can see the beautiful grains in whatever you’re making. I like to use it for marinades and salad dressings, too. I eat it with cheese, sausage, and even Brussels sprouts!
I served the chops with boiled baby new potatoes and peas. Very British.
This is the simplest sort of everyday dinner, but that’s what makes it so enjoyable…
Love pork chops? Try these too ~
Slow Cooked Peach Barbecue Smothered Pork Chops
Slow Cooked Apple Bourbon Smothered Pork Chops
Minimal Monday: Mustard Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 pork chops (about 1 lb total) If they are thick, pound them down a bit between two layers of plastic. This will tenderize them and allow them to cook quickly.
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup hard cider, or wine, vermouth, or dry sherry
- 1 Tbsp stone ground mustard
- 1/4 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat until quite hot. Sprinkle the pork chops with a little salt and the grill them for about 5 minutes on each side, just until they are done through and no longer pink. Remove the chops to a warm plate.
- Add the hard cider to the pan and let the liquid bubble away for a couple of minutes. It will reduce a little and you can scrape up any brown bits from the pan to add flavor to your sauce.
- Stir in the mustard and the cream and heat through.
- Serve the pork chops drenched in the sauce, with boiled potatoes alongside.
Notes
Totally agree with you on the quick and easy meals, especially during the week!! and love that you are giving some love to pork! these pork chops look fabulous and love the stone ground mustard cream sauce! gorgeous!
These are gorgeous pork chops! Easy and quick dinner-Sue- and love-love the mustard-cream sauce you made here- so yummy!
Can’t say I completely agree. Sometimes I love to tinker in the kitchen for hours preparing a meal. Then again, rainy days and Mondays NEVER get me down. GREG
Amen sister! You are speaking my language. I never seem to enjoy those meals that took way too much effort. Simple foods you can taste is very appealing. Lovely chops and the mustard sauce/gravy is gorgeous! Always love potatoes 🙂 Have a great week!
I love that mustard sauce, what great looking pork chops!
As always, this looks so mouth watering. I just pickred up a jar of whole gain mustard this weekend. I agree about pounding the pork chops if you are not going to brine them.
Thanks for another great and simple meal!
Beautiful meal Sue. Simple meals are always a welcome thing. Much better than getting take-out and so much better for health reasons. Your mustard sauce is a real winner.
I simply love meals just like this! The mustard sauce makes me want to lick the screen!
Thanks Maria, I love that sauce on fish and chicken, too 🙂
This looks great…especially that mustard sauce! I’ve always had trouble with tough pork chops if I don’t brine them first…not a problem with these?
I’ve never brined pork chops, I’ll have to try that. I think pounding them thin helps to tenderize them, Carolyn, but pork chops aren’t the most tender of meats, I admit. If you want super tender pork chops, try my crock pot pork chops — https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/2014/06/peach-barbecue-smothered-pork-chops.html — they melt in your mouth!
This is a simply perfect meal! And I agree, quick and simple can deliver great results.