RamblemuseSM Recipes

Food That's Worth the Cooking

Cranberry Pork Chops

We found this recipe in the New York Times Heritage CookbookNY Times Heritage Cookbook, a collection of regional recipes published in 1972 with 1980 and 1995 reprint editions. The book notably departs from standard modern faire with a variety of game dishes, including Black Bear Stew and Reindeer burgers. This recipe, originating from Massachusetts, is more prosaic. While it takes about an hour to make, most of that time is passive effort. The chops go well with medium-width egg noodles or rice and baked yams or butternut squash. The noodles or rice only take about 12 minutes to boil and the yams and squash follow the trend of passively cooking while you attend to other things. Buy several bags of fresh cranberries while they are in season in the fall, and use them throughout the year.

Ingredients

  • 6 rib or loin pork chops, each three-quarters-inch to one-inch thick
  • 1 Tbs butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 large orange, peeled and cut into one-quarter inch slices

Method

Brown the chops on both sides in the butter in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Pour off excess drippings. Season chops with salt and pepper.

Add the cranberries and brown sugar, cover tightly and simmer forty-five minutes, or until the chops are thoroughly cooked.

Remove the chops to a heated platter. Combine the cornstarch with the water and add to the liquid in the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened. Add the orange slices and reheat. Pour the sauce over the chops.

If you come to a fork in the road, take it. — Yogi Berra

Last revised Tue 27 May 2008 — Keith Eric Grant — The Ramblemusesm
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