Sweet Orange & Ginger Pork Chops
These pork chops get a quick sear, then finish in the oven with an orange, honey, and ginger glaze. This makes 12 chops, so give yourself enough pan space to keep them in one layer. Spoon the sauce over rice or serve the chops with vegetables on the side.
Ingredients
12 bone-in pork chops, about 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups pure orange juice
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest, from about 2 oranges
½ cup honey
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water, for the cornstarch slurry
Sesame seeds and sliced green onions, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Heat the oven to 375°F. Set out two large, shallow baking or roasting pans with rims high enough to hold the sauce. Use another pan if needed: all 12 chops must fit in a single layer without overlapping. Pat the chops dry. Mix the garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper, then season both sides of every chop.
Heat 1½ tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chops in batches of 3 or 4, leaving space between them, for about 3 minutes per side or until browned. Add the remaining measured oil between batches as needed. Transfer the seared chops to the baking pans in a single layer. Continue straight through to making the glaze and oven baking; do not refrigerate partially cooked chops to finish later.
Lower the skillet heat to medium. If any bits in the pan have burned, carefully wipe those out, keeping the browned bits. Melt the butter, then add the ginger and minced garlic. Stir for 30–45 seconds, just until fragrant.
Pour in the orange juice, orange zest, honey, and low-sodium soy sauce. Stir, scraping up the browned bits, and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 3 minutes.
Mix the cornstarch with the cold water until smooth, then stir the slurry into the simmering sauce. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until the glaze lightly thickens. This is one slurry for the entire batch. Divide all of the glaze between the pans and spoon it over the chops.
Bake uncovered for about 12–15 minutes. If the pans are on different oven racks, swap their positions halfway through. Check the center of each chop with a food thermometer, avoiding the bone. Every chop must reach at least 145°F before it leaves the oven. Add time where needed; chop size, starting temperature, and pan position affect the timing.
Transfer the cooked chops to a serving platter and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the glaze over the top and add the optional sesame seeds and green onions.
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room or outdoor temperature is above 90°F. Use within 3–4 days and reheat the pork to 165°F throughout. Bring separately reheated glaze to a boil.