Braised Pork Chops with Vinegar Peppers is a simple but delicious Italian-American dish that’s easy enough for weeknights, but special enough for Sunday dinner.
I’ve been eating pork chops and vinegar peppers, also known as cherry peppers, for years and find the combination of pork and pickled peppers to be one of the best matches ever!
These pork chops are great served with a side of garlic sauteed broccoli rabe, and a starch, like crispy roasted potatoes or rice pilaf, and crusty bread to mop up the sauce!
How to make it
- Dry the pork chops off with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Picture of the vinegar or cherry peppers. These are hot as indicated on the bottle. They are about 5000 on the scoville scale. You can sometimes find sweet cherry peppers. Often they use high fructose corn syrup to take out some of the heat.
- Chop 4 large cherry peppers into quarters and remove most of the seeds.
- Chop 4 cloves of garlic and mince 1/4 cup fresh parsley.
- Heat pan to medium-high heat and add a touch of olive oil. Sear the chops for 2-3 minutes per side. Do not crowd the chops and/or sear in batches to avoid them touching.
- Set chops aside when finished searing.
- Lower pan heat to medium, add 3 Tbsp of olive oil and saute the garlic. After 2 minutes add the vinegar peppers and cook for 1 minute more.
- Next, turn heat to high and add 3/4 cup of white wine. After 2 minutes, add the 3/4 cup chicken stock and 1/4 cup of vinegar from the jar. Let the sauce boil for a minute.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low
- Add the chops into the sauce, spreading them out.
- Cover and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours minimum or until tender. Make sure to turn the chops over every 30 minutes to achieve even cooking.
- When the chops are finished they will be smaller and more tender. If they are not quite tender enough, feel free to cook them for another 15- 30 minutes or so. Finish by mixing the fresh parsley into the sauce.
- The pork. Premium pork chops with a lower fat content will not need to be braised that long. A standard blade chop will take over an hour to braise and become tender so bear that in mind. You can also use a pork tenderloin cut into 1″ thick slices.
- Peppers. Cherry peppers are a bit spicy so if you don’t enjoy heat, you can use sweet vinegar peppers instead.
Here are a few more pork recipes I think you’ll love!
- Pork chops Milanese – classic breaded chops for any day of the week!
- Grilled pork chops – with a simple balsamic glaze.
- Pork chops with apples – with maple syrup, cinnamon, sage, and apples.
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Italian Pork Chops and Vinegar Peppers
FAQ
What does vinegar do to pork?
What happens if you soak pork chops in vinegar?
What tenderizes pork chops?
Can you use vinegar on pork chops?
For a fresh-tasting version of pork chops with vinegar peppers, add a sprig of fresh rosemary or thyme before baking the pork chops and garnish with fresh oregano or fresh basil. Change up the vinegar. Instead of using vinegar from the jarred peppers, try using an equal amount of balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar.
How does apple vinegar work?
The alcoholic fermentation of apples leads to the production of cider, which in turn is aceticized, thus giving rise to apple cider vinegar. The health effects of apple cider vinegar are not exactly well understood, but it is suggested that it can help control blood glucose levels, help with weight loss and have an antimicrobial effect.
How do you season pork chops with vinegar?
Classic pork chops with vinegar peppers in a tangy white wine, chicken stock, vinegar and garlic sauce. Pat dry and season pork chops on both sides with total of 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper evenly. Chop 4 cloves garlic and quarter 4 vinegar peppers removing seeds.
How do you clean pork chops before cooking?
This step helps eliminate any excess salt on the surface of the meat. Once rinsed, gently pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. This aids in achieving a better sear during the cooking process, contributing to the overall texture and presentation of the dish.