After a summer full of grilled foods, chilled salads, gazpacho, and picnic fare, we happily turn on the oven. On the menu? A time-saving, attractive sheet pan dinner of pork chops and seasonal plums.
Sheet pan dinners, featuring individual portions of protein and plenty of vegetables, save us from ordering takeout food. We employ the technique once a week or more. Simply roast everything in the center of the oven. The heavy-duty sheet pan is the only special equipment needed.
Do invest in a quality pan. In my experience, the heavier the better. Most recipes fit well in a 16- by 12-inch pan with sides about 1 inch high to capture juices. Nonstick pans provide easy clean-up. If your pan has rolled edges (which prevent warping in the oven) do not wash in the dishwasher, as water can collect in the edge and cause rust. If your pan is not nonstick, be sure to oil the pan well before adding any food; this will help with cleanup.
For the recipe that follows, the cooking happens in two stages because of the leanness of pork loin chops. Arrange the potatoes, onions, and garlic cloves in the pan with the oil. Then cook them nearly to tenderness while you stir together a tangy glaze and quarter the plums. When plums are out of season, substitute small apples, quartered, and add them in Step 1 with the potatoes.
Sheet Pan-Roasted Pork Chops With Plums and Potatoes
Makes 4 servings- 1 1/2 pounds small round red potatoes (1 1/2 inches in diameter), halved
- 6 large shallots, peeled (about 8 ounces) or 1 bag (12 ounces) frozen pearl onions
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Grated rind and juice of 1 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 4 center-cut bone-in pork loin chops, about 2 pounds total
- 4 large black pluots or red plums, about 1 pound total
- Generous 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as a combination of basil, chives, parsley, cilantro
Put the potatoes, shallots, and garlic onto the baking sheet. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss to coat everything nicely. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast in the middle of the oven, stirring once or twice, until potatoes are nearly fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix remaining tablespoon oil, lemon rind and lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, tamari, cumin, and thyme in a small bowl. Cut the plums in half; remove the pits and cut again to make quarters.
Add pork chops and plums to the pan with the potatoes. Drizzle everything with the vinegar mixture. Return pan to oven and roast for 5 minutes. Stir everything around in the pan juices. Continue roasting until the pork is nearly firm when pressed (about 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), about 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove from oven.
If desired, turn broiler to medium. Broil the chop mixture, 6 inches from heat source, until edges of pork are browned nicely, 2 to 3 minutes.
Sprinkle with herbs and serve.
