Pork Chops with Balsamic Glaze are lower in carbs than you may think because the amount of balsamic vinegar you actually eat is really small! And the balsamic vinegar really does add amazing flavor to these pan-seared balsamic pork chops.
PIN Pork Chops with Balsamic Glaze to try it later!
Pork Chops with Balsamic Glaze are a recipe I first found years ago in Gourmet magazine (which isn’t even published any more), and when I first posted this I confessed that even though I read the magazine for years I hardly ever made anything from it. Most of the recipes from Gourmet always seemed just a bit too fussy for me, but this one was completely a keeper.
Of course I adapted my version a bit from the one I found in the magazine to make it lower in carbs and a bit easier to make, and this turned out to be one of those recipes that are so tasty and so easy that you’ll make it over and over if you like these ingredients.
I left out the shallots, which I thought most people wouldn’t have on hand, and I couldn’t resist seasoning the pork chops with a bit of Penzey’s Pork Chop Seasoning (affiliate link), but if you don’t have that, I’m sure this would be great without it.
I did replace the sugar that was called for in the original recipe with Monkfruit Sweetener, and with that change this recipe only has 8 carbs per serving. That’s because even though balsamic vinegar has some carbs, in this recipe you’re only eating the small amount of sauce that sticks to the meat. And if you want to limit sugar even more strictly in your diet I bet you could get away with a little less balsamic vinegar.
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
What if you don’t have Pork Chop Seasoning?
The Penzey’s Pork Chop Seasoning (affiliate link) I used contains contains salt, hickory smoke, garlic, onion, white pepper, and ginger. I’m a big fan of that blend for using on pork chops, but if you don’t have that and don’t want to buy it, I would use a little bit of those spices that you do have.
What kind of balsamic vinegar did I use for this recipe?
You don’t have to use one of those expensive aged balsamic vinegars for this recipe, but choose one with a good flavor.
More options for cooking with balsamic vinegar:
If you like the sound of this recipe you might also like Instant Pot Balsamic Pork Roast or Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms.
How to Make Pork Chops with Balsamic Glaze:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Trim pork chops and season with Penzey’s Pork Chop Seasoning (affiliate link), salt, and pepper.
- Heat olive oil (preferably in a cast-iron pan) and brown pork chops well on both sides.
- Mix vinegar and Monkfruit Sweetener or sweetener of your choice, add to pan, and simmer until slightly thickened.
- Then add pork chops and cook over medium-low heat until pork chops are cooked through and glazed with sauce.
- Serve hot, and wait for compliments!
Make it a Low-Carb Meal:
For an amazing low-carb dinner these balsamic pork chops would be delicious with Roasted Turnips, Roasted Asparagus and Peppers, or Cauliflower Rice with Basil, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts.
More Tasty Dinners with Pork:
Ingredients
- 4 center cut pork chops, fat trimmed
- Vege-sal or salt to taste
- fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. Penzeys Pork Chop Seasoning (see notes)
- 1 T olive oil
- 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp. sweetener of your choice (see notes)
Instructions
- Trim fat from pork chops.
- Season chops on both sides with Vege-Sal (affiliate link) or salt, pepper, and Penzey’s Pork Chop Seasoning (affiliate link) if using.
- Heat pan 1 minute, add olive oil, heat one minute more, then add pork chops and cook over medium high heat until well browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes total.
- Remove pork chops to plate, lower heat slightly, and add vinegar and sweetener and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Put pork chops back into pan with any liquid which has collected on plate, and cook over medium-low heat for about 4 minutes, turning several times to glaze pork chops with sauce.
- Serve hot, with sauce poured over.
Notes
The pork chop seasoning is optional; it contains salt, hickory smoke, garlic, onion, white pepper, and ginger. I would use Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link).
Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 400Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 337mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 7gProtein: 41g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Even with the small amount of sugar in the balsamic vinegar, I’d still consider these balsamic pork chops suitable for the original South Beach Diet as well as for low-carb diets because you’re only eating the small amount of the balsamic glaze that sticks to the meat. If you’d like to reduce carbs/sugar, use an approved sweetener, and a bit less balsamic vinegar.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Pork Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
Pork Chops with Balsamic Glaze were first posted in 2006, and the recipe has been a hit ever since then! It was last updated with more information in 2023.
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