I wonder how many times I’ll make this Pork Chops with Plums recipe this spring and summer? Chances are pretty good that I’ll make it at least once every couple of weeks or so – it’s that wonderful. The fact that you can whip up a skillet of dinner that looks this amazing in less than 30 minutes is a triumph of home cooking, and makes this Sticky Maple Balsamic Pork Chops with Plums such a special back-pocket recipe.

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Pork Chops with Plums

Pairing pork with fruit is a tale as old as time and the savory-sweet combination never, ever gets tired. In today’s recipe, we’ll make a super quick balsamic-maple sauce that brings out the best in both the pork chops and the plums. For me, the thing that really makes this a restaurant quality dish is the fact that, just before sending the pan into the oven to broil away, we’ll dot the top with a good amount of butter.

The butter, along with the simple brining step at the beginning, really take this recipe up and all the way over the top.

What you’ll need to make these Sticky Maple Balsamic Pork Chops with Plums

This sticky pork chops with plums recipe is pretty simple, all told. There’s not a lot going on so far as the ingredients go. But every single things counts – there’s nothing superfluous going on here.

Pork chops with plums INGREDIENTS

Thick-cut, bone-in pork chops: These are always my choice when working with pork chops, as they retain moisture beautifully and are just harder to screw up. Look for chops that are around 1-inch thick, but most pre-cut chops in your grocer’s butcher/meat section will be around that size for you already.

Kosher salt: This salt works brilliantly for brines like the simple one we’re whipping up here. It gives the salinity we need without being too salty. I like to use Diamond Kosher (most chefs/food people swear by it), but just know that Morton is great, too. So is your store’s brand …

Sweet onion: you’ll want to grab a Vidalia or Walla Walla, if you can, but often times you’ll see onions simple labeled as “sweet onions.” Those work perfectly. The punch of say, a red onion, would be a little much for this, overpowering the fruit. But honestly – just use whatever onion you like and you’ll be good to go.

Plums: The crown gems of this recipe, juicy sweet plums get top billing in this one, even besting those pork chops. Why? Just look at them! This is just about the most beautiful skillet of good you could ever hope to make, and the plums are what make that so. That said, you can make this with peaches, apricots, nectarines, apples, or pears. No harm, no foul.

Balsamic vinegar: With its innate ability to reduce into a sticky/sweet syrup and melt into sauces so magnificently, balsamic vinegar is literally always within my reach when I’m cooking.

Maple syrup: The sweet maple syrup combined with the tangy acid of the vinegar here in the most magical way. I love the sort of smoky undertones of a really good maple syrup, and how it contributes so well to dishes both savory and sweet. You could use honey here just as well, but I really love what the maple does to things here.

Butter: Similar to “mounting a pan sauce,” we’ll dot the top of our gorgeous skillet of pork and plums with a good knob of butter before sending it under the broiler to finish. This butter will finish things for us, glossing everything out and melting/melding into the sauce that’s forming from the balsamic and maple, along with the fatty, salty drippings from the pork chops. Drooling yet?

Goat cheese: You could also use feta for these pork chops with plums. You just want a pop of salty, creamy cheese in every bite. Non-negotiable, this one! You’ll miss the cheese if it’s not there, I think.

Chopped green herbs: For finishing these pork chops with plums – when am I ever not doing this? Think parsley, chives and dill here …

How do we make these pork chops with plums so great? It’s all in the brine …

Please don’t be deterred or intimidated by the brining of these pork chops – it’s the special Kitchen Little trick that will make your chops the absolute best they can be. I’m taking this step straight out of my cookbook – from my Moonshine-Brined Pork Chops – but here we’re keeping it MKL-simple by using only one brining ingredient: salt.

By stirring 1/4 cup of kosher salt into 1 quart of lukewarm water, you create a cozy flavor bath for your chops to swim in for about 15 minutes before you proceed with the recipe. Just give them a rinse under some fresh water before you start cooking, and you’re set. It’s really that easy.

Pork Chops with Plums DIRECTIONS

Preheat your broiler and adjust your oven rack to the middle position.
To brine your chops, fill a large bowl or dish with 1 quart of warm water and 1/4 cup kosher salt. Stir until the salt is absorbed and add the pork. Let them sit in the brine for 15 minutes. Afterward, rinse them under water to remove any excess salt. Pat dry.
Sprinkle the chops with lots of freshly cracked black pepper and a little more salt. Add some oil to a large skillet set over med-high heat and add the chops. Sear the pork on both sides until nice and brown; about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Scatter the sliced onion and plums in the skillet. Combine the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar and add that mixture to the pan, just pouring it over everything. Top the pan with bits of the butter and some crumbled feta. Place under the broiler. Broil until the pork is sizzling, crisped, and the fruit is tender and beginning to brown as well.
Serve right away topped with fresh herbs, if desired.