The Sweet And Tangy Ingredient For More Flavorful Pork Chops

Pork chops come together quickly and are hearty, making them a timeless dinner option. They pair well with a number of ingredients, like Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and coleslaw, namely because they're on the milder side. Pork chops don't have the boldest flavor, but you can certainly give them one with sweet and tangy honey mustard.

Although honey mustard seems like a condiment created explicitly for dipping French fries and chicken tenders in, it actually makes a wonderful glaze for meat, particularly when made from scratch. Skip the bottled stuff and whip it up yourself like Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye did for her honey mustard sheet pan baked pork chops. All it takes is mixing the two ingredients together then brushing it over the pork chops, bringing out the meat's sweetness while delivering a zingy bite.

Honey is delicious on roasted meat because it caramelizes in the oven, giving the pork chops a beautiful, browned crust. While many honey mustard recipes call for Dijon, Rye opts for whole grain mustard instead. However, you can use any type of mustard you prefer, like spicy brown or yellow mustard. Rye's choice is pungent and slightly bitter, which reins in the saccharine honey, making room for pork chop's savory flavor to shine through. After roasting the pork chops for 25 minutes, brush the honey mustard on top and roast them again for 25 minutes more.

In her recipe, Jennine Rye pairs the pork chops with root vegetables like potatoes, parsnips, and carrots, giving the dish an earthy touch. You can do the same and also include some bitter veggies like broccoli rabe or Brussels sprouts to be coated in the sweet honey mustard. Serve the pork chops with a side of rice, honey whole wheat dinner rolls, or creamy garlic parmesan polenta.

If you want to give your pork chops a fiery side, add in some horseradish, the ingredient Bobby Flay uses to give honey mustard a serious kick. It ramps up the sharpness of the mustard, but mostly delivers a searing, spiciness that brings heat to pork chops. Serve the spicy honey mustard pork chops with sweet potatoes for a tempering nuttiness and a refreshing apple harvest salad.

Take your honey mustard pork chops to a new level by adding a few herbs and spices to the glaze. This adds a new dimension while also rounding out the bitterness that can come from whole grain mustard. Sprinkle in some crushed thyme, cumin, paprika, and dill into the honey mustard and give it a good stir before spreading it onto the pork chops. Serve it alongside crispy smashed potatoes or baked mac and cheese.