Pork Chops with Beef Balsamic Reduction

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Pork Chops with Beef Balsamic Reduction is perfect for family meals or entertaining friends. 

Pork Chops with Beef Balsamic Reduction is so easy to make and certainly will be a family pleaser as it is kid-friendly as well. The reduction sauce tastes amazing. It's what makes this dish so special that you can not only wow your family but serve it as a main course for entertaining friends. 

Plus, this recipe is easy on the pocketbook. At $2.91 per serving, it's definitely a Cooking On A Budget meal. The prep time is minimal for the chops and reduction. If you serve with a starch and vegetable, it's not much longer. All in all you can get this on the table in under an hour!

• 4 bone in Pork Chops - about 3/4 - 1 inch thick
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups Campbells beef broth
• 1/4 cup onion - finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 4 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
• salt and black pepper to taste

1. In a saucepot set to medium high heat add in 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion until slightly golden - about 3-4 minutes.
2. Next add in the balsamic vinegar and raise the heat to high and cook the balsamic vinegar until it is reduced by half, 4-5 minutes.
3. Add in the beef broth and cook until reduced by half, about 10-12 minutes. Keep the reduction warm.
4. Brush both sides of the chops with the 1 tablespoon of oil and season both sides to taste with salt and black pepper.
5. In a cast iron skillet add the remaining oil and the butter. Let this heat up then sear the pork chops about 4-5 minutes per side* and move to a waiting plate. Pork should be at 140-145° safety standard. 135-140° for medium doneness.
6. Divide the pork chops to individual plates and spoon the sauce over the chops and serve with polenta or your favorite potato and a vegetable.

*COOKS NOTE: You will also want to turn the chops on edge to brown the outer fat. Makes for better presentation - and later the fat can be trimmed when eating.

I couldn't wait to dive in and begin eating! Just look at the lovely sear on the chop. That searing is best achieved in a cast iron skillet. If you don't have one, please do yourself a favor and get one; you won't regret it.

To go with the Pork Chops I made some mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus. I figured in the cost for what I chose as sides and it came out to $4.05 per person. You can bring the cost down by serving a less expensive vegetables. I do a lot of my pantry and vegetable shopping at my super Walmart to save money on our meals. I prefer to hand pick my meats.

When choosing pork for a recipe, be sure there is a nice white marbling throughout the chop - that will produce a more flavorful and tender piece of pork.

My pork is cooked to 145° prior to resting. The temperature of meat goes up as it rests. When you factor in another 2-4 degrees after cooking, you'll want to take the chops out of the skillet at 140°. To assure that you have correct temperatures, always use an instant read thermometer.

Feeding your family well on a budget doesn't mean you have to eat pasta every night and this Pork Chops with Beef Balsamic Reduction is just one example of how you don't.

Original recipe inspiration from Williams-Sonoma.