Pork chops and peaches recipe marry savory with sweet in this speedy skillet dinner
I never seem to have just a couple of in-season peaches in my kitchen. I have either a pile of them, begging to be eaten immediately, or I have none. That’s probably because I can’t resist overbuying the ripe fruit in peak season. Early in the season, I get them by the dozen, treating myself to a direct shipment from Georgia, and later, when the fruit is ripening further north, I cart home as much as I can carry from my local farmers market.
I wind up with so many peaches, because of the get-it-while-the-gettin’s-good nature of the relatively short peach season, when the aroma of the fruit hits you from a foot away and they are so plump and juicy, you’re compelled to eat them over the sink. Peaches like that last less than a week in the refrigerator, so once my family has devoured what we want out of hand, I get down to thinking about how to use the rest quickly.
Sure, I could always freeze them, but that would deprive me of the pleasure and creative challenge of deciding what to do with them — cook them up into pies, crisps and compotes, puree them into sauces, grill them for salads and sundaes, and more.
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This recipe takes a different tack, marrying sliced peaches in a skillet with pork chops and savory seasonings for a weeknight dinner. It might seem like an unusual combo at first glance, but it’s one that tastes of familiar comfort, with the sweet-savory-tangy flavors usually found in barbecue sauce reinvented as a light, fresh pan version.
To make it, you first peel the fresh peaches — their skins slip off easily once the fruit is scored and dipped briefly into boiling water — then pit and slice them. (Frozen peaches work well here as well, allowing you to skip this step and make this dish year-round.)
They get paired with lean, boneless pork chops that are rubbed with a savory mix of paprika, onion and garlic powders, salt and pepper. (You can swap in boneless, skinless chicken breast if you’d like.) Broth, a splash of vinegar, and a touch of honey tie the fruit and protein together in a tangy-sweet sauce.
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Showered with a floral burst of fresh basil leaves right before serving, this fast, mouthwatering dish is yet another reason to dive headfirst into peach season.
Storage Notes: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
NOTES: If fresh peaches aren’t in season, seek out the frozen ones; out-of-season peaches are difficult to peel even after blanching.
If your pork chops are thicker or thinner than 3/4-inch, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
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