Maple Pork Chops
with kale and pear salad
Pear season is just beginning and we love them paired with kale and pork (or butternut squash for our veggie option). This meal doesn't need a whole lot of prep but has a ton of flavors that help ease us into fall.
Smarts: Don't be scared of eating raw kale. Just give it some time to marinate in a dressing and it breaks down into a lovely salad green.
Ingredients
- Pork chops - 1 lb
- Salt and pepper - for seasoning
- Cooking oil - for brushing
- Homemade balsamic vinaigrette - 3 Tbsp
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Apple cider vinegar - 1 Tbsp
- Dijon mustard - 2 tsp
- Maple syrup - 1 Tbsp
- Mild-flavored oil - 5 Tbsp ((Like grapeseed, avocado, vegetable))
- Kale (lacinato or dino, preferably) - 1 bunch
- Homemade balsamic-apple vinaigrette - 3 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp
- French baguette - 5 oz, torn
- Cooking oil - 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Pear - 1, sliced
- Golden raisins - 1/3 cup
- Almonds - 1/4 cup, sliced
Nutrition Facts
Prep
- Make vinaigrette / marinade: Whisk together balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Marinate kale - Prep kale by tearing leaves off of stems and into bite-sized pieces. Toss with first part of vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
- Pork chops - Season with salt and pepper and tenderize with a fork. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
- Bread - Tear into bite-sized pieces. Toss with cooking oil, spread out onto a sheet pan, and lightly sprinkle with some salt and pepper.
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Make
- Heat oven to 375F (191C) degrees. Toast bread for 10 to 12 minutes until golden, tossing once midway through.
- Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush with some oil and then place pork chops on heated oil. Sear on each side for ~3 minutes. For thin pork chops, this should be enough heat to cook them through. If you’re using thicker pork chops, lower heat and cover with a piece of foil until pork reaches 145F (63C) degrees. When done, let pork rest for ~5 minutes before slicing.
- Slice pear and toss with kale, toasted bread, raisins, almonds and second part of the vinaigrette.
- Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over sliced pork and enjoy with kale salad.
Nutrition Facts
Reviews
Ratings
35 reviews
It was okay, but a lot of work for a meal I wasn't super excited about. Definitely double the dressing and marinate longer.
0 HelpfulReally enjoyed this meal! Loved this way of eating kale. Had it the next day for lunch and it was still great!
0 HelpfulExcellent. I marinated the kale since noon. I love how you can make salad out of kale and it won't get wilty. This would be a great salad to bring for lunch. The pork was perfect cooked this way.
0 HelpfulUnbelievably delicious. Loved the combination of the flavors. Used dried cherries instead of raisins and omitted the bread chunks (wanted a cookie instead).
0 Helpful