Pork Chops with Maple Sauce

Almost every day I try making a new recipe.  As I was debating whether to purchase a dirt-cheap subscription to allrecipes magazine I looked at my collection of cookbooks and recipes torn out of magazines that I already get (not to mention the tons bookmarked from blogs to try!) and decided that I have enough recipes that I haven't made yet to last me for years!  On a side note, with the staggering amount of recipes out there, we both concluded, how can people say, "I always make the same thing!"????!!!!  Which made my husband also point out that the recipes in the magazine are already free on the website and do I really need another magazine??  I don't have enough time to read the tons I already get!  So in the end I decided not to order the magazine. 

I have to say that when I menu plan, I always keep in mind whether I think my son will eat it.  My daughter is really good about trying everything and eating enough to get a treat.  My 4 1/2 year old son is really picky though.  I knew that these pork chops were a winning dish when he told me how much he liked them and then finished all of his dinner.  I made these awhile ago, and it's hard to remember, but I think he even ate the onions! Caramelizing the onions is the lengthiest part of making this recipe, but well worth it! This was a dinner that we all enjoyed!

Pork Chops with Maple Sauce
recipe from For the Love of Cooking

Ingredients:
3 tsp olive oil (divided)
1/2 sweet yellow onion, sliced
4 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup of diced yellow onion
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/4 cup of water
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp flour, to thicken

Directions:
To make caramelized onions: Place 2 teaspoons of olive oil into a large oven proof Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring often, for 20-30 minutes, or until caramelized and golden brown. Season with sea salt, to taste.  If the skillet gets dry, add a tablespoon of water or two. Remove from the Dutch oven and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.  Add the pork chops to the HOT pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown then flip; cook for 1-2 minutes then remove from the Dutch oven to a plate. Cover with a tin foil tent.
Add the butter and the last teaspoon of oil to the Dutch oven and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes or until tender and golden brown; add the chili powder; cook stirring constantly for 1 minutes. Add the vinegar, maple syrup, water, Worcestershire sauce, and sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Stir well then add the pork chops back into the Dutch oven uncovered and place into the oven. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until the pork is cooked through. Remove from the oven.

Place the pork on a serving plate with a tin foil tent and let the meat rest for 5 minutes. If you prefer a thicker sauce, heat the sauce over medium high heat then whisk in the flour until well combined and thick. Drizzle the sauce over the pork chops then serve with the caramelized onions on the side.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.