Equipment
Ingredients
Pork
- 600 g boneless pork chops
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 10 g sweet paprika
- 15 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
Sauce and Aromatics
- 50 g shallot, finely minced
- 10 g garlic, minced
- 120 ml gluten-free chicken stock
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 15 g dijon mustard
- 5 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 424 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 784 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 143 mg
- Potassium
- 750 mg
- Calcium
- 58 mg
- Iron
- 1.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 53 mg
- Phosphorus
- 381 mg
- Zinc
- 2.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 274 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 28 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.43 mg
- Niacin
- 12.7 mg
- Folate
- 10 mcg
- Water
- 177 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel. Season both sides evenly with the kosher salt, black pepper, and half of the sweet paprika. Wash hands thoroughly after handling the raw pork to prevent cross-contamination.
Heat the olive oil and unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops using tongs to flip until deeply golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a plate and set aside.
Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the finely minced shallot to the remaining fat in the pan and saute until translucent and softened, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and the remaining sweet paprika. Toast the spices by stirring continuously until highly fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Pour the gluten-free chicken stock into the skillet. Use a whisk to scrape up all the browned bits, known as fond, from the bottom of the pan.
Allow the liquid to bubble and simmer until the stock has reduced by half, concentrating the flavor.
Lower the heat to medium-low. Whisk in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard until the sauce is completely smooth and cohesive.
Return the seared pork chops and any resting juices to the skillet. Simmer gently in the sauce until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 63C/145F on a meat thermometer and the sauce gently coats the back of a spoon.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle the chops and sauce with finely chopped fresh parsley before serving warm.
Chef's Notes
- Bringing the pork chops to room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking relaxes the meat fibers and promotes a much more even and effective sear.
- The fond, or browned bits left in the pan after searing the pork, is the foundation of flavor for this dish. Take care not to burn it; if the pan gets too hot during the sear, lower the heat slightly.
- Using heavy cream, double cream, or creme fraiche is crucial here. Lighter creams or milk do not have enough fat to stabilize the sauce when combined with the acidic Dijon mustard, making them highly prone to splitting.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or milk to reconstitute the sauce without splitting it.
Troubleshooting
Cream sauce appears split, greasy, or curdled.
Cause: The pan was too hot when the cream was added, or the sauce boiled too vigorously.
Fix: Remove the pan from heat immediately and vigorously whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water to force the emulsion to come back together.
Prevention: Always lower the heat before adding heavy cream and ensure the liquid only reaches a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil.
Cultural Context
While paprika is most heavily associated with Hungarian and Spanish cooking, its integration into classic French cream sauces demonstrates a beautiful culinary cross-pollination. The addition of Dijon mustard provides a uniquely French sharpness that cuts through the richness of the dairy, perfectly balancing the earthy sweetness of the paprika.
