Blackberry Pork Chops

It’s full-on blackberry season at the Carrell Wildlife Preserve, so everything I cook and bake for the next few weeks is going to have blackberries in it. Sit back and get ready - we’re starting with pork chops!

While the chops were cooking according to the recipe below, I also made noodles and vegetables in the microwave. You can add whatever sides you want, timing them to be done at the same time as the chops.

And wait until you see what my secret ingredient is! Hint: I don’t deglaze my skillets with wine.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp 

1 tsp cayenne powder

Salt and pepper to taste

4 pork chops

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup Sprite, divided

3 cups blackberries, crushed

2 Tbsp sugar

1. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, —-, cayenne, salt and pepper.

2. Heat olive oil in large cast iron skillet. Coat one side of each pork chop and place spice side down in the skillet. Rub remaining spices on top of each chop.

3. Brown both sides of the chops, 3-4 minutes on each side. Then turn temperature to low, cover pan and cook an addition 5-7 minutes. Remove chops from pan.

4. Add garlic to skillet and sauté, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of Sprite and stir until heated through.

5. Add blackberries, remaining Sprite and sugar. Bring to a boil while stirring. Simmer until heated through.

6. Add the chops back to the pan and heat through, turning and basting with blackberry sauce every 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.