Cayenne Seared Pork Chops with Orange-Glazed Carrots are an easy and flavorful fall meal, featuring a spice rub fresh carrots with a light citrus glaze.
Cayenne Seared Pork Chops with Orange-Glazed Carrots - "Restaurant Quality." What exactly does that mean, when someone anoints this proclamation upon a dish? I've heard it a couple of times but it's something I won't ever hear too often. Last evening, Scott gave this recipe this very endorsement and I have to acknowledge, he was spot on.
About this
This past summer we discovered rainbow-colored carrots at our favorite farmer's market where almost every Saturday found Scott, myself, and our gaggle of boys. Throughout the season, we braised them, we roasted them, and we crunched on them, raw. I found their earthy but colorful tones mesmerizing, and their tastes far deeper than the store bought carrots we usually are forced to rely upon. This past Saturday marked the last day of our little farmer's market until next spring. With that in mind, I was sure to pick up one final bunch of these autumn gifts from some farmer's garden.
One of the things that I love about cooking is using our collection of pots, pans, knives and all the rest. These Cayenne Seared Pork Chops with Orange-Glazed Carrots start out with a hot sear on the stove top in one of my favorite oven-safe skillets. It ends up in the same pan, braised in the oven.
Although these Cayenne Seared Pork Chops with Orange-Glazed Carrots have a predominant base of Cayenne pepper, don't let that dissuade you. Along with that warm seasoning, there is also onion powder, garlic powder, and fresh thyme. And a little paprika. My point here, you can created an herb dredging of whatever it is that whets your whistle. Cajun and Italian-based flavors are a couple of alternative options that you could easily consider.
We used the spell-binding rainbow carrots from our farmer's market to provide a crown for these Cayenne Seared Pork Chops with Orange-Glazed Carrots. Cut on the bias, they were tossed in olive oil and fresh thyme with a little salt and pepper.
Serving suggestion: Whip up some homemade mashed potatoes with this dish, add a dollop of sour cream and some fresh thyme.
Then, toward the end of the pork's sear, we tossed them in the same pan. At the end of the braise, we deglazed our pan with fresh-squeezed orange juice, creating a golden glaze with a pleasing citrus undertone. These Cayenne Seared Pork Chops with Orange-Glazed Carrots are easy and affordable to make. They are perfect of a weeknight meal, a special dinner, or as Scott pointed out, to be placed on the menu of your favorite restaurant. Please, give them a try and let us know your thoughts. Happy fall! -Dan
Cayenne Seared Pork Chops with Orange-Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 thick pork chops bone-in
- 3 vegetable or peanut oil
- 2 tablespoons Cayenne pepper adjust amount to taste
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves minced and divided
- salt and pepper
- 3-4 carrots cut on the bias
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Juice from 1 navel orange
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Combine seasoning and thyme, mix well.
- Dredge each pork chop in dry mixture, allow to set for 20 minutes.
- Using oven safe skillet, heat vegetable or peanut oil on medium high.
- Sear each pork chop, about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown.
- Mix carrots with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place in pan with pork chops.
- Place pan in oven, covered for 15 minutes.
- Remove pork from pan, cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add orange juice to pan and deglaze while stirring. Reduce to desired consistency.
- Plate pork chops on warm plate, top with carrots and orange glaze.
Notes
For safety reasons, pork should have a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F before eating. Medium rare 145 + 3 minute rest Medium 150 Well done 160
Toni | Boulder Locavore
This is definitely a must-make! Would love to give this a try!
Liren | Kitchen Confidante
What a lovely glaze on those carrots!
Brian Jones
That sounds truly delicious, orange and carrots are such great bed fellows and I am sure they will taste great alongside the pork!
Kristina @ Love & Zest
Well it certainly looks like restaurant quality! I can only imagine they taste like it too! It looks delicious, and great pictures by the way!