Artificial Food Coloring Free Apple Cider Glazed Pork Chops
There's something deeply satisfying about a pork chop with a glossy, caramelized glaze, and this one delivers that restaurant-worthy finish using nothing but real, whole ingredients. The warm spice rub — turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon — gives the chops a beautiful golden crust before they ever hit the glaze, and the aroma alone is worth turning on the stove. Skipping store-bought sauces and marinades is the smart move here, since those products are notorious for sneaking in synthetic dyes and artificial colorings that have no business being on a dinner plate. Everything in this recipe is exactly what it looks like: unfiltered apple cider, raw honey, fresh thyme, and a splash of vinegar that reduces into a sticky, amber glaze with zero shortcuts. The technique of searing first and finishing in the pan sauce means the chops stay juicy while the glaze clings to every edge. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that looks like you spent hours on it but comes together in a single skillet.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 bone-in pork chops (about ¾ inch thick, 6–8 oz each)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
For the glaze
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 cup apple cider (unfiltered, unsweetened)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the pork chops completely dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, stir together the salt, turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon. Rub the spice mixture evenly over both sides of each chop.
- 2
Heat the coconut oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork chops in a single layer and sear, undisturbed, for 4 minutes, until the underside is deep golden and releases easily from the pan. Flip and sear the second side for 3–4 minutes, until equally golden.
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