It’s time to return to oven with pork chops
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-12inch pan with sides about 1-inch high to capture juices. Nonstick pans provide easy cleanup. 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 here, 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.
Even though this sheet-pan dinner contains potatoes, I like to serve egg noodles or brown rice alongside to soak up all the delicious pan juices. A salad made from bitter greens, such as fresh spinach or lacinato kale, makes a great accompaniment to the sweet and tangy pork and plums.