Seared Pork Chops with Cranberry-Orange Pan Sauce and Wild Rice Pilaf

Steps

1. Step 1

   Start the pilaf: melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring now and then, until softened, about 5 minutes.

   5 min

   • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
   • 1 small onion
   • 1 celery stalk
2. Step 2

   Add the rinsed wild rice blend and stir for 1 minute to coat. Pour in the broth, add the salt, and bring to a boil.

   5 min

   • 1 cup wild rice blend
   • 2 cups chicken broth
   • 1/2 tsp salt
3. Step 3

   Cover, lower the heat to a bare simmer, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 40 to 45 minutes. Keep covered off the heat until serving, then fluff with a fork and stir in the pecans and parsley.

   45 min, hands-off

   • 1/3 cup pecans
   • 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley
4. Step 4

   Meanwhile, season the pork chops all over with the kosher salt and pepper and let them sit at room temperature while the rice cooks.

   • 4 bone-in pork chops, about 1 inch thick (about 2 1/2 lb total)
   • 1 tsp kosher salt
   • 1/2 tsp black pepper
5. Step 5

   About 20 minutes before the rice is done, heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chops and sear, without moving them, until deeply browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook 4 to 6 minutes more, until the thickest part reads 140°F on a thermometer. Move the chops to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

   10 min

   • 1 tbsp olive oil
6. Step 6

   Lower the heat to medium. Add the shallots to the same skillet and cook, stirring, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, broth, brown sugar and thyme. Scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan as the liquid bubbles.

   4 min

   • 2 shallots
   • 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
   • 1 tsp orange zest
   • 3/4 cup orange juice
   • 1/2 cup chicken broth
   • 3 tbsp brown sugar
   • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
7. Step 7

   Simmer briskly until most of the cranberries have burst and the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 7 to 9 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, swirl in the cold butter until glossy, and season with salt to taste. Stir in any juices from the resting plate.

   8 min

   • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
   • salt
8. Step 8

   Serve the chops over or alongside the pilaf with the cranberry-orange sauce spooned over the top.

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026