Pork Chops with Cherry Sauce

These pork chops get a bread crumb crust, a slow braise in a covered pan, and then a spiced sour cherry sauce poured over the top. The combination of savory, crusted pork with tart, warm fruit and a splash of Madeira is old-world cooking at its best.

Browning the breaded chops first locks in that crust, then adding water and covering the pan turns it into a braise. That low, slow cook is what takes the chops from tough to fork-tender. Don’t rush this part.

The cherry sauce comes together separately while the pork braises. Sour cherries pureed with cinnamon, cloves, lemon zest, and honey cook down into a thick, glossy sauce. The Madeira gets stirred in off the heat so the wine’s nutty sweetness stays bright instead of cooking away.

Kitchen Tips

• Use sour cherries, not sweet. Sweet cherries won’t give you enough tartness to balance the honey and spices.
• Trim all visible fat before breading. The bread crumbs won’t stick to fatty spots and the chops cook more evenly without it.
• Keep the braise at a gentle simmer, not a boil. Boiling toughens pork regardless of cooking time.
• The Madeira goes in off the heat for a reason. Cooking it would burn off the alcohol and flatten the flavor.

Variations

• Stone fruit swap: Replace cherries with plums or apricots when they’re in season for a different fruited sauce.
• Port wine version: Substitute port for Madeira for a richer, sweeter finish.
• Grilled chops: Skip the braising and grill the chops instead, serving the cherry sauce on the side.