A Blackberry-Based Sauce Is What Your Pork Chops Are Missing

It's hard to imagine anything more satisfying than a perfectly cooked pork chop. When done well (that tends to mean not well-done), this iconic cut of meat is well-known as a delicious, crave-worthy dinnertime classic, particularly when paired with apple sauce — a combination that has been gracing tabletops since the 1700s.

There's a strong case to be made that sweet elements like fruits are especially well-suited to making any meat even more delicious and there are some other quintessential meat and fruit combos, including turkey and cranberry sauce, lemon and chicken, lamb with prunes, and duck with cherries. When it comes to amplifying your pork's flavor, the success of this complementary combination has to do with the inherent smoke character and savoriness of the meat, which are balanced by the natural sugar content of fruit. And while the pork chop and applesauce alliance is a mainstay in American cuisine, it doesn't have to stop there. Blackberries in particular make for a sauce that's both mouth-watering and eye-popping, and this stunning sauce will impress guests for a special meal or make a simple, satisfying staple in your daily dinner rotation.

This easy-to-conjure blackberry sauce made with fresh fruit is pure magic, and super simple to whip together for any occasion. By simmering together fresh blackberries with sugar on the stovetop, you can soften these natural gems enough that they're mashable with the back of a spoon. After a minute or two, you'll have a thickened mix — which you can pass through a mesh strainer to remove any seeds — that will serve get the base of your sauce.

Once you have the resulting liquid, you can blend it together with mustard seed powder, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, extra virgin olive oil, and a little lemon juice. The yield will be one of the most vibrant, sweet and tart, and visually striking sauces your pork has ever seen. This sauce is made to be simply spooned over pork chops just before serving, but you can also use it to amp up a pork sandwich or drizzle it into a taco for an exceptional fresh spin on your favorites.

And while blackberries are a delicious option, it's always a good idea to seek out what's in season. Swap these black beauties for strawberries, peaches or nectarines in the summer, figs or pears come fall, and persimmons or cranberries in the cold winter months.

A perfectly prepared pork chop can be an impressive dish for a holiday or special occasion, as well as a reliable weeknight staple. Unfortunately, pork chops can have a reputation for being tough or dry, which keeps many home cooks from attempting to incorporate it into their repertoire. When firing up your stovetop to tackle pork chop prep, a few tips can help keep your dish from becoming a disappointment.

Before you begin cooking, remove your meat from the refrigerator. Transferring directly from the cold to the heat of your stovetop skillet can result in uneven cooking, and giving it about fifteen minutes to come up to room temperature will help avoid that issue. When it comes to cooking, go for high heat to get that seared crust, but then reduce the heat to medium. This way, you'll have a chance to properly cook your interior without charring the outside. Once it registers at 135 on your meat thermometer, remove it from the stove. You're aiming for 145 degrees Fahrenheit, and the lingering heat should help you cross the finish line.

After you've cooked your chops, give them a few minutes to relax. Resting will help retain juices and make your pork more resistant to becoming tough and chewy, and a good practice is to set up a foil tent for about five to ten minutes before slicing into it. Then slather your chops in this blackberry sauce, and prepare for pork perfection.