Cranberry Pork Chops
These cranberry pork chops are beautiful and bursting with flavor. Pan seared pork chops are served in a cranberry sauce infused with orange, maple, fresh rosemary, and ginger. They're elegant enough for dinner parties, but also easy enough for weeknights. And they're ready in just 20 minutes!
Cranberries add a pop of bright flavor and color to savory dishes. Try our cranberry meatballs, orange cranberry roast chicken, and Thanksgiving leftovers eggs benedict.
Table of contents
These cranberry pork chops are delicious and almost too beautiful to eat! They're savory yet sweet with lots of festive flavors, proving that cranberries are not only good with turkey.
To make them, simply pan sear the pork chops until they're lightly golden, then set them aside to make the cranberry sauce. Combine the remaining ingredients in the same pan, and simmer until the cranberries pop. Tuck the pork chops into the sauce, and cook for a few more minutes until they're done.
Serve them over a bed of mashed potatoes or rice with a simple vegetable side for a delicious complete meal that is anything but ordinary!
If you love cozy recipes, also try our smothered pork chops recipe!
Cranberry pork chop ingredients
You probably have most of the ingredients for these pork chops in your kitchen already. Here's everything you'll need to make this cranberry pork chops recipe:
- Pork chops cooked in olive oil – we use bone-in pork chops because we find them to be more tender, but you can use boneless ones if you prefer.
- Salt and pepper – for seasoning the pork chops.
- Cranberries – fresh or frozen both work well.
- Orange juice – for a hint of citrus taste, and because cranberries and orange are the perfect flavor match. You can use freshly squeezed or store-bought.
- Maple syrup – adds rich maple flavor and sweetens up the tart cranberries.
- Rosemary – fresh rosemary is aromatic with unique hints of evergreen, citrus, pine, and sage.
- Ginger – a slightly spicy, slightly sweet addition to round out the festive flavors.
How to make cranberry pork chops
These pork chops with cranberry sauce are a delicious dish that's easy enough for weeknights, but also perfect for festive dinner parties. Here's how to make them in a few easy steps:
- Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels, then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
- Sear the pork chops on both sides until they're lightly browned, then remove them from the pan.
- To make the cranberry sauce, add the cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, rosemary, and ginger to the pan and simmer it until most of the cranberries have popped. Enjoy all the amazing aromas!
- Put the pork chops and any juices back into the pan and let it all cook for another few minutes (until the pork chops are cooked through). Garnish with some sliced oranges and a sprig of rosemary and serve warm with a side salad or over a bed of mashed potatoes.
Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.
Recipe FAQs
We use bone-in pork chops because they tend to be juicier, but you can use boneless too. Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs also work well, if you prefer.
Pork chops are fully cooked when they're no longer pink inside, or they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
What to serve with cranberry pork chops
Cranberries might make you think of the holidays, but this is a quick and easy dish you can enjoy all winter long. Serve them over a bed of mashed potatoes or rice to soak up the delicious sauce, and a simple vegetable side to round out the meal.
If you love this dish, also try our orange cranberry roast chicken.
Simple side dishes that pair well with cranberry pork chops
Popular pork chop recipes
Cranberry Pork Chops
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops
- ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
- Orange slices and fresh rosemary sprig, to garnish
Instructions
- Dry the pork chops with paper towels then season them on both sides with salt and pepper.4 bone-in pork chops, ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops until they are light brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove them from the pan.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, rosemary, and ginger to the pan and bring it to a boil. Let it boil until most of the cranberries have popped and are soft.3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, ¾ cup orange juice, ⅓ cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
- Put the pork chops and any juices that accumulated on the plate back into the pan. Cover the pan and cook the pork chops for 5 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Garnish with some sliced oranges and a sprig of rosemary.Orange slices and fresh rosemary sprig
We LOVE pork chops. Make sure to check out all of our pork chop recipes!
I only had dried cranberries, plus dried cherries, and I soaked them well. I also just had a mandarin orange on hand. I used a fair amount of ginger, and the fruit stood up well to it. I regret that I still had some non-Ohio maple syrup so had to use that up before the good stuff. I made two modifications that I would recommend. A good splash of balsamic vinegar. That’s magic. And I sprinkled in some corn starch to make the sauce stick a little better to the meat. I also put in some butter. It was a big hit and I might do it for company.
How could I adapt this to pork tenderloin?
I should work to sear the pork and make the cranberry portion as per the recipe. But then put the pan into the oven so bake it for about 20 minutes, or until the tenderloin is cooked.