Easy Glazed Pork Chops

• 4 thick pork chops
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp tamari or coconut aminos
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp ghee, duck fat, or lard
• salt to taste

1. Using a small knife, cut two slits across the fat to prevent the pork chops from curling during step 3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside for 20 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Combine the vinegar, broth, honey, mustard, tamari, thyme, and pepper in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over med/low heat, then reduce heat to low and allow to stay warm while you prepare the pork chops.

3. Heat the ghee in a large oven-safe skillet over med/high heat until shimmering. Gently blot any liquid from the surface of the pork chops, then place them in the skillet. Brown until the chops are crusty and golden, about 4 minutes, then flip and brown until golden on the other side. Put the skillet and chops in the oven, and bake until they reach an internal temperature of 145F, about 6 minutes, then transfer to a plate to rest.

4. Pour off and discard any excess ghee from the skillet, then return to the stove over medium heat. Pour the sauce into the skillet and simmer until thickened, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, 3-5 minutes total. Taste and add salt if needed. Transfer the pork chops to the skillet and coat with the glaze, then serve.

** If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, simply place a heavy duty baking sheet in the oven as you warm it up, then transfer the pork chops to the baking sheet after browning them.

** 145F may seem like a low temp for pork chops, but that’s because pork will continue to cook off the heat; they’ll be perfect.