Servings
Font
Back
Smothered Pork Chops with Cipollini Onions and Grapes
5 from 12 votes

Smothered Pork Chops with Cipollini Onions and Grapes

This recipe features thin pork chops dredged in flour and seared until browned, then simmered with sweet cipollini onions, red grapes, garlic, and a combination of white wine, Dijon mustard, thyme, and balsamic vinegar. The slow cooking melds savory pork with caramelized onions and juicy grapes, creating a rich, slightly tangy sauce. It’s a balanced dish combining tender meat with subtle sweetness and fresh herbs.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 4 -6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, American

Ingredients

  • 1 pound cipollini onions or pearl onions (about 16, small
  • 8 pork chop 1/4 inch thick, about 2 pounds total, thin-cut
  • kosher salt coarse, freshly cracked
  • black pepper coarse, freshly cracked
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
  • 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 dry white wine
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons thyme chopped if large, fresh leaves
  • 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 pound red grapes cut into small clusters, leaving stems attached, seedless
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil, add the onions, and cook until tender but not mushy (about 12 minutes). Drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid (strained, if necessary). Rinse onions with cold water until cool enough to handle. Peel and set aside.
  2. Season both sides of each chop with salt and pepper. Add flour to a wide, shallow bowl and dredge pork, shaking off excess flour.
  3. In a 4- to 5-quart straight-sided sauté pan set over medium-high heat, add butter and olive oil. When butter stops foaming, add pork, in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Cook pork on both sides, until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
  4. Add the onions to the skillet, and cook until golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then pour in wine, and bring to a simmer, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Once the wine is mostly reduced, add the thyme, mustard and 1 cup of the reserved onion-cooking broth (or use chicken stock). Add the grapes and the sauce simmer until liquid is reduced by almost half and grapes soften, 5-7 minutes. Add the pork back to the skillet and toss to coat in sauce (if more liquid is needed, add some of the reserved broth). Simmer until the pork is warmed through and sauce has thickened, about 4-5 minutes.
  5. Transfer pork, grapes and onions to a warm serving platter. Stir balsamic vinegar into sauce. Check seasoning. Spoon sauce over pork, onions and grapes, and serve.