Cast Iron Skillet Pork Chops with Cranberry Gastrique

These Cast Iron Skillet Pork Chops with Cranberry Gastrique make for a sophisticated and seasonal dinner the whole family will love, in just 30 minutes! Juicy and tender pork chops seared until golden brown and then roasted in the oven with Brussels sprouts and shallots and topped with a tart punchy sauce loaded with flavor.

This pork chop recipe is more of a complete meal to keep things simple on a weeknight, but you can leave out the Brussels sprouts and shallots if you like, make the chops, and serve them with something entirely different.

That’s what I love about a pan-roasted meal. It’s completely flexible.

Oh and the flavor!

Pan-roasting first takes the time to get the perfect sear on the stove top to build a layer of flavor and then finishes it in the oven to evenly cook with dry heat, building further flavor with caramelization.

I can’t wait to walk you through it.

Let’s get into it!

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make these cast iron skillet pork chops:

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

The ingredients to make these cast iron pork chops are easy to find and readily available at almost any grocery store.

Here are a few ingredient notes:

Pork chops: Pork chops come from the loin of the pig, which is the part that runs from the shoulders to the back legs. This is the leanest part of the pig and also the most tender, as it is not a hard-worked muscle. The best pork chops, in my opinion, are thick cut pork chops for retaining moisture and tenderness. And most meats taste best roasted on their bones. So, my recommendation is always to use thick bone-in pork chops (1 1/2 – 2 inches thick if you can). Substitute thinner chops and boneless chops, or even pork tenderloin, but the cooking time will need to be adjusted accordingly.

Brussels sprouts: Brussels sprouts are delicious, especially this time of year, and are perfect in this dish because they cook in nearly the same amount of time as the pork. Substitute blanched green beans or thinly sliced Delicata squash or sweet potatoes.

Shallots: Use shallots for the short cook time and to give delicious caramelized onion flavor to the final dish. Substitute thinly sliced red onions, pearl onions, or cippoline onions.

Rosemary: Use fresh rosemary in both the sauce and to baste the pork chops, as dried will not give you the same flavor.

Cranberries: Use fresh cranberries for this seasonal version of a gastrique sauce that is punchy and loud in flavor and a great complement to the pork.

Ginger: Use fresh ginger as a warm spice to flavor this sauce.

Orange: Use fresh orange peel because it pairs so well with cranberries and ginger.

Red wine vinegar: Vinegar is a main ingredient in a gastrique sauce. Use red wine vinegar in this one as it is assertive enough to stand up to the cranberries. Substitute with white wine vinegar.

Let’s Make Cast Iron Skillet Pork Chops Together: STEP BY STEP

Steps 1, 2 & 3:

First, trim the bottoms of the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half, lengthwise. Second, peel the shallots and cut them, lengthwise, right through the root and slice the ginger. Using a vegetable peeler cut some long pieces of orange peel with little to no white pith.

Third, heat a cast-iron skillet over medium high heat and season the chops generously with kosher salt and black pepper.

Steps 4, 5 & 6:

Sear the pork chops for 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness. Flip them over, and add the butter, garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs. Using a spoon, baste the pork chops with the melted butter for about a minute, and then remove the chops from the pan.

Steps 7, 8 & 9:

Next, add the Brussels sprouts and shallots and stir them around to coat them in the butter and oil. Season them with salt and pepper and then turn them cut side down. Finally add the pork chops and transfer the pan to a preheated oven.

In the meantime, start the sauce by bringing the cranberries, sugar, ginger, water, and rosemary to a boil. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes and the cranberries soften.

Steps 10, 11 & 12:

The cranberries will cook down and start to thicken. Add the red wine vinegar and let it simmer over medium heat and continue to thicken again.

Steps 13, 14 & 15:

When the pork is done, remove it, let it rest, and return the pan to the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

The sauce is done when you can swipe your finger across your stirring utensil and the two sides don’t come back together. Serve it with the pork and vegetables.

Serving Suggestions

• A perfect pairing for this pork and cranberry gastrique are these Mustardy Mashed Potatoes!
• This easy Carrot Soup would be a perfect first course to serve before these pork chops.
• A simple green salad is always nice, but this Roasted Pear Salad with Arugula and Spiced Maple Vinaigrette would take it to the next level! Or how about this Pear and Fennel Salad?!

Storage & Reheating

STORAGE:
Store the pork and sauce separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

REHEATING:
To reheat the pork in the oven, place it in an oven-proof pan or dish and cover with aluminum foil. Place in a 375-degree oven until warmed through. Or, reheat the pork in the microwave in 30 second intervals until everything is warmed through.

Reheate the sauce in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.

FREEZING:
Freeze everything in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.