Craving a dinner that feels both comforting and a little bit fancy, without spending hours in the kitchen? Look no further! This recipe for Pioneer Woman Pork Chops delivers big flavors in just about 16 minutes. Inspired by the queen of comforting cuisine herself, Ree Drummond, this dish features tender pan-seared pork chops and whole cloves of garlic swimming in a luscious red wine sauce. Paired with vibrant, lemony green beans, it’s a complete and satisfying meal that’s surprisingly simple to make. Let’s dive into this weeknight wonder, step-by-step.
Pioneer Woman pork chops with red wine garlic sauce and lemony green beans, a delicious and quick weeknight meal.
Ingredients for Pioneer Woman Pork Chops and Lemony Green Beans
Red Wine Pork Chops (serves 4):
- 4 bone-in Pork Chops, 1 inch thick
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 16 cloves Garlic, whole and peeled
- 1 1/2 cups Red Wine (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir recommended)
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1/2 cup Beef Broth
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
Lemony Green Beans (serves 4):
- 1 pound thin Green Beans, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Ingredients for Pioneer Woman pork chops recipe laid out, featuring pork chops, garlic, red wine, and green beans.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Pioneer Woman Pork Chops
- Prepare the Pork Chops: Season both sides of the pork chops generously with salt and pepper.
Seasoning pork chops with salt and pepper before searing for the Pioneer Woman recipe.
- Trim the Green Beans (Optional): Snap or cut off the ends of the green beans. For uniform length, cutting is recommended. Set aside.
Trimming green beans for the lemony side dish accompanying Pioneer Woman pork chops.
- Sear the Pork Chops: Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add olive oil and butter. Once the butter is melted and hot, sear the pork chops in batches of two to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Searing pork chops in a hot cast iron skillet for Pioneer Woman's red wine pork chops recipe.
- Achieve a Golden Sear: Sear the pork chops for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until they develop a rich, golden-brown crust. The inside does not need to be fully cooked at this point. Remove the seared pork chops from the skillet and set aside.
Close-up of perfectly seared pork chops, showcasing the golden-brown crust achieved in the first step of the Pioneer Woman recipe.
- Peel the Garlic: While the pork chops sear, peel about 16 cloves of garlic. Pre-peeled garlic can be used for convenience, but fresh garlic is recommended for the best flavor.
Freshly peeled garlic cloves, ready to be used in Pioneer Woman's flavorful pork chop recipe.
- Sauté the Garlic: Reduce the heat in the skillet to medium-high and add the peeled garlic cloves.
Sautéing whole garlic cloves in the skillet after searing pork chops for Pioneer Woman's recipe.
- Brown the Garlic: Cook the garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes fragrant and starts to turn golden brown and soften.
Golden brown sautéed garlic cloves, releasing their aroma for Pioneer Woman's red wine pork chops.
- Deglaze with Red Wine: Carefully pour red wine into the skillet. If using a gas stove, turn off the burner briefly before adding wine to prevent any flames, then return to medium-high heat.
Pouring red wine into the skillet to deglaze and create the sauce for Pioneer Woman pork chops.
- Add Bay Leaf and Simmer: Add the bay leaf to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, incorporating them into the red wine sauce.
Adding a bay leaf to the red wine sauce for Pioneer Woman pork chops to infuse flavor.
- Reduce the Wine Sauce: Allow the red wine sauce to cook down and reduce for about 3 minutes, or until it thickens slightly.
Red wine sauce reducing and thickening in the skillet, concentrating the flavors for Pioneer Woman pork chops.
- Add Beef Broth and Pork Chops: Stir in the beef broth and return the seared pork chops to the skillet, nestling them into the red wine sauce. Pour in any juices that accumulated on the plate from the pork chops – this adds extra flavor.
Adding beef broth to the red wine sauce and returning the seared pork chops to the skillet.
- Add Balsamic Vinegar: Stir in the balsamic vinegar to add a touch of sweetness and acidity to the sauce.
Pouring balsamic vinegar into the red wine sauce to enhance the flavor of Pioneer Woman pork chops.
- Simmer to Cook Pork Chops: Let the sauce bubble gently and continue to thicken as the pork chops finish cooking through. This will take approximately 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness of your pork chops. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C).
Simmering pork chops in the red wine garlic sauce, allowing them to cook through and absorb the flavors.
Instructions for Lemony Green Beans
- Sauté Green Beans: While the pork chops simmer, prepare the green beans. Melt butter in a separate non-stick skillet over high heat.
Melting butter in a skillet to sauté green beans for a side dish with Pioneer Woman pork chops.
- Brown the Butter: Swirl the pan as the butter melts and cooks until it turns a light golden brown and foamy.
Browned butter in a skillet, creating a nutty flavor base for the lemony green beans side dish.
- Add Green Beans: Add the trimmed green beans to the skillet and toss to coat them in the browned butter. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until they are tender-crisp.
Sautéing green beans in browned butter until tender-crisp, a quick side for Pioneer Woman pork chops.
- Add Lemon Zest and Juice: Remove the green beans from heat. Zest a lemon directly over the green beans, then squeeze the juice of the lemon over them.
Zesting a lemon over sautéed green beans, adding bright citrus flavor to the side dish.
- Season and Serve: Season the lemony green beans with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and serve immediately.
Adding lemon juice to sautéed green beans, completing the lemony green bean side dish.
Serving Pioneer Woman Pork Chops
- Plating: Arrange the lemony green beans on a serving platter. Top with the cooked Pioneer Woman pork chops.
Arranging lemony green beans on a platter, preparing to serve alongside Pioneer Woman pork chops.
- Pour Sauce: Generously spoon the red wine garlic sauce and whole garlic cloves over the pork chops.
Plating Pioneer Woman pork chops on top of green beans, ready to be served with red wine sauce.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve immediately and enjoy this flavorful and quick Pioneer Woman inspired meal!
Pioneer Woman pork chops topped with rich red wine garlic sauce, plated and ready to enjoy for dinner.
This Pioneer Woman Pork Chops recipe is perfect for a delicious weeknight dinner. The combination of savory pork, rich red wine sauce, and bright lemony green beans is sure to be a hit. For more inspiration, you can find a version of this recipe on the Pioneer Woman’s Blog or the Food Network Website. Enjoy cooking!
