Accounting for Taste

In this Citrus-Glazed Pork Chops with Gingery Bok Choy tasty meal, rich pork makes makes a perfect companion to tart oranges. The bold, bright citrusy sauce demands a robust cut of meat, therefore a well-marbled, thick-cut pork chop with a good fat cap, fills the bill. While the original recipe calls for three chops weighing in at 2 1/2 pounds, I only cooked two with a weight of 1 2/3 pounds, more than enough for the two of us.

A dry rub of brown sugar creates a caramelized layer and lends depth to the pan sauce, and the gingery bok choy adds a delightful bit of freshness. And because we are garlic fiends, I increased the number of cloves by 50%, from four to six large. To round out the meal, you can add a starch such as mashed potatoes, silky polenta, tri-colored couscous, or egg noodles—our choice.

If a recipe calls for more than a few tablespoons of citrus juice, I bring out the electronic juicer, which makes quick work of the task. With this one calling for 3/4 cup, it was a no brainer.

Citrus-Glazed Pork Chops with Gingery Bok Choy

Servings: 4
Time: 45 min
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1, 2″ piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 lb. baby bok choy, halved, or quartered if large
2 Tbsp. neutral oil, plus more as needed
3, 1 1/2″ bone-in pork loin chops (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
1 1/2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 whole orange cut in 1/2 crosswise, seeds removed, plus 3/4 fresh orange juice (about 3 large oranges total)
4 shallots, peeled and quartered
4-6 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 cup water

Directions

In a medium bowl combine the ginger and rice vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.
Trim the bok choy and cut down the middle lengthwise. If large, cut into quarters.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12″ skillet over med-high heat. Working in batches, add the bok choy to the pan, cut side down, and sear on one side until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add additional oil if necessary, and flip to cook the other side until just tender, another minute or three. Transfer to ginger marinade, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover bowl with foil to keep warm.
Rub both sides of the pork chops with the brown sugar and season generously with salt.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium heat. Arrange chops and orange halves in skillet, cut-side down.
Sear, without moving, one side of meat until deep brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the pork but leave the orange undisturbed. Cook on med-low until chops are browned on both sides and orange halves are charred, 4 to 5 minutes more.

Although the instructions don’t indicate, you should also brown the fat caps. Use tongs to sear the ends for several seconds.
Move orange halves to a serving platter and pork to a plate.
Add shallots and garlic to skillet and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 3 minutes.
Add all of the pork chops and accumulated juices back to the pan, overlapping if necessary.
Add the orange juice and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer, swirling the pan to release any bits stuck to the bottom.
Cover and cook for 3 minutes, then uncover and cook until the pork is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer the chops to a cutting board and allow the sauce to continue cooking until reduced and sticky, 3 minutes more. (The sauce will be ready when you drag a spatula through the sauce and it leaves an open trail, as shown below.) Remove from heat.
Transfer the bok choy to the serving platter. Slice the pork and transfer to the platter along with any accumulated juices from the meat. Spoon the sauce with shallots and garlic, and squeeze the caramelized oranges over the top. Serve with starch of choice.