Pan-seared pork chops with mustard cream and green beans
15 min · 38 g protein · 376 cals / serving
Boneless pork chops seared hard in a hot pan, then sauced with a quick mustard cream made from the pan juices, smooth and wholegrain mustard and a little thyme. A big bowl of green beans from the microwave soaks up the rest of the sauce. Fifteen minutes, one skillet, and kind to the budget.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb frozen cut green beans cooked frozen green beans
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp canola oil, or another neutral oil
- 4 boneless chops, about 1/2 inch thick (1 1/4 lb) center-cut pork chop
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Mustard cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme, or 1 tsp fresh leaves
- 1/2 cup water, or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
Steps
- Put the frozen green beans in a microwave-safe bowl with the water, cover and microwave 9–10 minutes, stirring halfway, until hot and tender. They cook while you do the rest; drain them when they are done.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the chops dry and season both sides with the salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
- Sear the chops 3–4 minutes a side, without moving them, until well browned and 145°F in the centre. Move to a plate and rest for 3 minutes.
- Turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic and thyme to the chop pan for 30 seconds, pour in the 1/2 cup of water and scrape up all the browned bits; they are the flavour of the sauce. Let it bubble for 2 minutes until reduced by about half, then whisk in the cream and both mustards and simmer 1–2 minutes, until the sauce coats a spoon. Stir in the chops' resting juices and taste for salt.
- Return the chops to the pan and spoon the sauce over them. Serve with the green beans and the rest of the sauce. Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge; reheat gently, covered, so the sauce does not split.
Good to know
Can I use half-and-half or single cream?
Yes, 1/2 cup of half-and-half makes a thinner, lighter sauce, at about 68 instead of 64, though it lifts the carbohydrate share a little past strict keto. Keep it at a gentle simmer once it is in, so it does not split.
My chops are thicker or bone-in.
Give thick (1 inch / 2.5 cm) or bone-in chops 5–6 minutes a side over medium heat, and go by the thermometer: 145°F and a 3-minute rest gives a juicy chop with a blush of pink, which is safe.
Per
- Calories
- 112
- Protein
- (41%)
- 11 g
- Fat
- (47%)
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- (12%)
- 4 g
- of which sugar
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 252 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How
As written, 1504 kcal goes into the pot and 1568 g of ingredients comes out as about 1348 g of food: 112 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.