Brown Sugar Thyme Peach Pork Chops and Orzo Skillet
This brown sugar peach pork chop skillet sears pork chops and cooks them with fresh peaches, pancetta, charred green beans, and orzo in one cast iron pan. A stunning summer dinner ready in 45 minutes.
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Ingredients
The Pork Chops
- 4 bone-in or boneless pork chops about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp Creole Trinity and Herb seasoning
- Salt and black pepper to taste
The Skillet
- 4 oz pancetta
- 1 lb fresh green beans trimmed and halved
- 1 large shallot thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 3 ripe peaches sliced
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup uncooked orzo
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp butter for finishing
- Hot honey for drizzling
Instructions
- Season both sides of the pork chops generously with CTH seasoning, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden. They do not need to be cooked through at this stage. Remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the green beans and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they develop blistered, charred spots. Remove and set aside with the pork chops.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the shallot, garlic, and pancetta to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shallot has softened and the pancetta has rendered. Add the sliced peaches and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in the brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and thyme. Cook for another minute until fragrant and the sugar has dissolved into the peaches.
- Add the uncooked orzo and stir to coat in the peach mixture. Let it toast for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the orzo is mostly tender.
- Nestle the seared pork chops back into the skillet and scatter the charred green beans around them. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes until the pork chops are cooked through and the orzo has absorbed most of the broth.
- Remove from heat. Stir 1 tablespoon of butter into the orzo for extra richness. Drizzle hot honey over everything before serving.
Notes
The sear on the pork chops is the most important step. A deeply golden crust on both sides produces the flavor that carries through the entire skillet. Do not rush it and do not move the chops during the sear.
Char the green beans before they go back into the skillet. Blistered, slightly charred green beans have a completely different, more interesting flavor than plain cooked ones.
Toast the orzo in the peach mixture for 2 to 3 minutes before the broth goes in. This adds a nutty depth to the orzo that makes the finished skillet taste more developed.
The hot honey at the end is not optional in spirit. The sweet heat drizzled over the peach and pork combination is the finishing detail that makes the dish extraordinary.
Char the green beans before they go back into the skillet. Blistered, slightly charred green beans have a completely different, more interesting flavor than plain cooked ones.
Toast the orzo in the peach mixture for 2 to 3 minutes before the broth goes in. This adds a nutty depth to the orzo that makes the finished skillet taste more developed.
The hot honey at the end is not optional in spirit. The sweet heat drizzled over the peach and pork combination is the finishing detail that makes the dish extraordinary.
