Dinner turned out really good!  I love when I don’t overcook the meat!  I adapted yet another recipe from Cook’s Country – the adaptation is that I did not marinate the pork chops for 1 to 2 hours (marinated in whiskey, apple cider, brown sugar and Dijon mustard) because I thought if I marinated the pork all day, the whiskey might start to “cook” the meat??   So I skipped that step completely.

I give you the Biz version!

  • 1/4 cup whiskey
  • 3 tablespoons apple juice concentrate (I’ll explain below!)
  • 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • bone-in, center cut pork chops (about an inch thick)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Mix together the whiskey, apple juice concentrate (I thaw just enough so I can measure it out, then it goes back in the freezer), brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar.   Set aside.

I keep this in the freezer for when I need apple juice or apple cider for recipes - since its concentrated, you don't need much and it melts really well - I've used about 1/2 of this container already
I keep this in the freezer for when I need apple juice or apple cider for recipes - since its concentrated, you don't need much and it melts really well - I've used about 1/2 of this container already

In a hot cast iron skillet, heat canola oil until it just starts to smoke.  Add pork chops and cook for 3 minutes on each side.  Reduce heat to medium, remove chops to a foil pouch, add whiskey mixture to pan and scrape all the good bits from the bottom of the pan.  Reduce for 5 minutes. 

Add chops back in and cook and flip chops until they reach 145 degrees.  The glaze will thicken nicely!

After the chops returned to the pan and flipped once
After the chops returned to the pan and flipped once
My plate - 5 ounce chop, baby spinach with tablespoon Annie's goddess dressing, 1/2 cheese bread, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes with 2 tablespoons gravy
My plate - 5 ounce chop, baby spinach with tablespoon Annie's goddess dressing, 1/2 cheese bread, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes with 2 tablespoons gravy

I ditched making the rosemary potatoes when I stopped at the store and premade mashed potatoes and gravy were on sale, and I had a coupon – $1.50 for both!   That was a no brainer – and then these giant cheese bread sticks were 6 for $1 and that sealed the meal.

Stats for the Day:

  • I didn’t figure out the calories for dinner, but I had about 675 to spend, so I am calling it a wash!
  • Day 21 of 30 Day Shred!
  • 10 minute cool down on the treadmill after Shred

Biz TV night!  Not only do I have Biggest Loser and American Idol, its also the next to last episode of the BBC version of Last Restaurant Standing!   Off to snuggle and watch t.v. with Tony!   See you tomorrow!