110min 4 ppl
Pork Chops Charcutière
65 minutes
4 people
Hardover 60 min or 12+ steps
65 min · 11 steps
Hard: over 60 min or 12+ steps
520 kcalper person
Protein 44g
Carbs 14g
Fats 28g
About this dish
Bone-in pork chops seared hard to develop a deep fond, then finished in a classic charcutière sauce built from cornichons, Dijon, white wine, and caramelised onions — the bittersweet reduction and sharp pickled notes elevate this Lyonnaise bistro staple above any everyday pan sauce.
Allergy Info
Dairy, Celery, Sulphites, Mustard
Diet Info
Meat
Ingredients
Fresh Produce
- White onionshalved and thinly sliced3 large
- Garlic clovesfinely minced4 whole
- Flat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped1 tbsp
- Fresh thyme leaves1 tsp
Meat & Poultry
- Bone-in pork loin chopsabout 250g each, 2.5cm thick4 whole
Dairy & Eggs
- Unsalted butterdivided30 g
Tins & Jars
- Tomato purée1 tbsp
- Chicken stockgood-quality250 ml
- Cornichonssliced into rounds80 g
Spices & Seasonings
- Fine sea salt2 tsp
- Black pepperfreshly ground1 tsp
Oils & Condiments
- Neutral oil2 tbsp
- Dry white winesuch as Muscadet or Mâcon200 ml
- Red wine vinegar1 tbsp
- Dijon mustard2 tsp
- Whole-grain mustard1 tsp
Utensils
- Heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan
- Meat thermometer
- Tongs
- Wooden spoon
Method
1
Pat the pork chops completely dry with kitchen paper. Season generously on both sides and on the fat cap with the salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature.
Approx. 5 minutes
2
Rest the seasoned chops uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Approx. 30 minutes
3
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan over high heat until shimmering and just beginning to smoke. Add 15g of the butter and, once the foam subsides, lay the chops in the pan — they should sizzle aggressively. Sear without moving for 3–4 minutes until a deep mahogany crust forms.
Approx. 8 minutes
4
Flip the chops and sear the second side for 3–4 minutes until equally browned. Stand each chop on its fat cap using tongs and render for 1 minute until the fat is golden.
Approx. 5 minutes
5
Transfer the chops to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 15g butter to the same pan. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and jammy, scraping up any browned bits from the pork.
Approx. 23 minutes
6
Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until the purée darkens slightly and smells sweet.
Approx. 2 minutes
7
Pour in the white wine and bring to a vigorous simmer, scraping the pan base clean. Cook for 4–5 minutes until the wine is reduced by two-thirds and the pan is nearly dry.
Approx. 5 minutes
8
Add the chicken stock and red wine vinegar and bring to a steady simmer. Cook for 5–6 minutes until the stock is reduced by half and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Approx. 6 minutes
9
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the Dijon and whole-grain mustards and the cornichon rounds — do not boil the sauce after adding mustard or it will turn bitter and grainy.
Approx. 1 minutes
10
Return the chops to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the top and cook gently for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 63°C when checked with a meat thermometer at the thickest part away from the bone.
Approx. 5 minutes
11
Rest the chops in the pan off the heat for 3 minutes — expect the internal temperature to rise a further 2–5°C — then scatter with the chopped parsley and thyme leaves and serve immediately, spooning the sauce generously over each chop.
Approx. 3 minutes
