Sweet and sour flavours marry so well with pork chops, so it's great to have an easy, weekday night meal recipe like this low-carb, keto-friendly pork chops with sweet and sour peppers recipe. Peppers already have their own sweetness, but it get bumped up a bit with a little keto-friendly sweetener with a splash of red wine vinegar for the sour. And don't skip the basting butter because that little bump of fattiness helps complete the overall flavour profile of the dish.
Keto Seared Pork Chops with Sweet and Sour Peppers Recipe
Ingredients:
- 14 oz pork chops,
- Kosher sea salt
- 1½ tablespoons avocado oil
- ½ cup red onion, sliced
- 2 red or orange peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 teaspoons Lakanto granulated monk fruit sweetener
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, skin on, crushed
- 1 small bunch of thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Directions:
Around 12-24 hours before you plan to eat, sprinkle the pork chops with kosher sea salt then return to the fridge. When you're ready to prepare your meal, take the pork chops out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature while you prepare other ingredients, around 20 minutes.
Heat ½ tablespoon avocado oil in a large cast-iron skillet, then add the onion and peppers. Season with salt and pepper, add the sugar, and sauté over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until soft and blackened on the edges. The veggies should hiss in the pan as you add them. If not, the pan isn't hot enough and you may end up steaming them rather than sautéing them them.
Add the vinegar and let it bubble for a minute or two until it has reduced and the peppers are soft. Turn down the heat, add another tablespoon of avocado oil, and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Stir in the shredded basil and continue to cook for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to infuse.
Wipe the pan clean, ready to cook the pork. Using a sharp knife, make cuts into the fat of the chops, about ¼ inch deep and at 1½ inch intervals (if using a fattier cut), making sure you don't cut into the meat. Season the chops with pepper really well on both sides.
Heat the skillet to medium-high heat until hot and add a little extra avocado oil if needed. Add the chops, garlic, and thyme and cook for 2-3 minutes until the pork has browned. Turn and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side, pushing the thyme under the chops and breaking up the garlic a little.
Toward the end of cooking time, add the remaining butter to the pan and baste the chops with it as they are cooking. If needed, push the fatty edge of the chops toward the edge of the pan to help render the fat. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and place it with the herbs on top of the chops.
Transfer the chops to a plate, and allow to rest for 5 minutes, spooning over the basting butter now and again. Serve the chops and its resting juices with the peppers.
Did you make this keto seared pork chops with sweet and sour peppers recipe? If so, please let me know how it turned out in the comments. Or if you share pics of your creations on Instagram, please tag me so I can see them. Enjoy!
