Pork Chops with Cider, Horseradish & Dill

 

½ cup (120 ml) cider vinegar

½ cup (120 ml) hard or pressed apple cider

2 tablespoons (30 grams) freshly grated or prepared horseradish

½ teaspoon table salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

 

4 bone-in loin pork chops, ½ inch thick (1½ pounds/680 grams total), preferably at room temperature

Table salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

 

Cooked together, these flavors are my happy place: tangy, sweet, and salty with a mellow, clearing bite.

Whisk the glaze ingredients together in a small dish and set aside. Trim any excess fat around chops until it is but a thin ribbon, no more than ⅛ inch thick. Pat the chops dry with a paper towel, and generously season them with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the oil starts to smoke. Add the pork chops to the skillet, and cook them until they are well browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the chops and cook 1 minute longer; then transfer chops to a plate and pour off any fat in skillet. Pour glaze mixture into the emptied skillet. Bring it to a simmer and cook until mixture thickens enough so your spatula leaves a trail when scraped across the pan, about 2 to 4 minutes. Return the chops and any accumulated juices from their plate to skillet; turn to coat both sides with glaze. Cook them over medium heat in the glaze until the center of the chops registers 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Transfer the chops to a serving platter and pour the glaze from the pan over them. Sprinkle with dill and eat immediately