Name: Pork chops with sticky plums and sage
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 750g new or salad potatoes, halved if large; 300g runner beans, stringed and sliced on the diagonal; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 4 thick pork loin chops (about 200g each), rind on; 1 tbsp rapeseed oil; 2 banana shallots, sliced; 8 ripe plums (about 500g), halved and stoned; 10 sage leaves; 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar; 2 tbsp cider vinegar; 150ml chicken stock; 1 tsp wholegrain mustard; 20g cold unsalted butter, cubed

Pork chops with sticky plums and sage

A pork chops with plums recipe for a chilly September night: seared chops finished in a sticky sage and plum pan sauce, with crushed potatoes and beans.

Gluten-free

Serves4

Hands-on5 min

Oven35 min

DifficultyEasy

September evenings turn cool while the plums are still around, which is the moment for this one-pan supper: thick pork chops seared until golden, then finished in a sticky sauce of plums, shallots and sage, with crushed new potatoes and the last of the runner beans alongside.

Why it’s so good: The plums collapse into a sweet-sharp glaze that does the job of both gravy and apple sauce, and cooking them in the pork pan picks up all the browned flavour the chops leave behind.

Make it easy: Buy chops of an even thickness, about 2.5cm, so they cook at the same rate, and get the potatoes on before you start the pork so everything is ready together.

Method

Put the potatoes in a large pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-18 minutes until tender, adding the runner beans for the final 4 minutes. Drain, return to the pan and add the olive oil, then crush roughly with a fork, season and put the lid on to keep warm.

Meanwhile, pat the chops dry, snip through the rind at 2cm intervals so they do not curl, and season well on both sides. Heat the rapeseed oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Using tongs, hold the chops rind side down in the pan for 2-3 minutes until the fat is golden, then lay them flat and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through, with no pink meat and the juices running clear. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest.

Turn the heat down to medium, add the shallots to the pan and cook for 3 minutes until softening. Add the plums cut side down with the sage leaves and cook without moving them for 3 minutes until caramelised underneath.

Sprinkle over the sugar, pour in the vinegar and let it bubble for 30 seconds, then add the stock and mustard. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, turning the plums once, until they are soft but still holding their shape and the liquid has reduced to a sticky glaze.

Take the pan off the heat and swirl in the butter and any resting juices from the chops, then taste and season. Return the chops to the pan for a minute to coat in the glaze, and serve with the crushed potatoes and beans, spooning the plums and sauce over the top.

Per serving (Serves 4)

Calories

790kcals

Fat

45g (15g saturated)

Protein

42g

Carbohydrates

52g (20g sugars)

Fibre

7.7g

Salt

1.2g

Quick wins, tips & make ahead

Chops: rind-on loin chops give a good edge of crisp fat, and snipping the rind keeps them flat in the pan. Cook until the juices run clear with no pink meat, then rest for 5 minutes so they stay juicy.

Plums: Victoria plums are the classic choice, but any ripe plum works. If yours are very sweet, add a squeeze more vinegar to the glaze; if they are hard, give them 2-3 minutes longer in the pan.

Check the label: stock cubes and wholegrain mustard are usually gluten-free, but some brands are not, so read the packet if the dish needs to be gluten-free.

Swaps and make ahead: use green beans or kale in place of runner beans, and mash instead of crushed potatoes. The plum sauce can be made a day ahead and reheated gently while the chops rest.

Pork chops with sticky plums and sage

Method

Nutrition

Quick wins, tips & make ahead

Rate & review

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Pork chops with sticky plums and sage

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