IZETTA'S TENNESSEE PORK CHOPS WITH WHISKEY GLAZE

This recipe is in honor of my mom who was born in Tennessee. She didn't add Jack Daniels to her pork chops, but I think she would approve of this recipe. This is truly a Southern comfort dinner, served with mashed potatoes and greens. 

Lee's Kitchen Tips:
Today, the recommended temperature of cooked pork is 145 degrees F. That is 15 degrees lower than recommended years ago. Don't dry out your chops.

Whiskey Glaze

¼ cup Jack Daniels Tennessee whiskey

½ cup apple juice (I use honey crisp apple juice, but use your choice)

1 T brown sugar

2 t Dijon mustard

1 T cider vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 bone-in, center cut pork loin chops, about 1-inch thick

1 T extra-light olive oil or avocado oil

1 cup chicken broth

½ t Kitchen Bouquet (optional)

2 T unsalted butter

Whisk together the whiskey, apple juice, brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Transfer ¼ cup of the mixture to a zippered plastic bag and add the pork chops. Press out the air and seal. Squish bag to coat with the marinade, refrigerate and marinate 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

Remove pork chops from marinade and pat dry with paper towels and discard marinade in zippered bag.  
Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. 

Season chops to taste with salt and pepper. 

Brown them for 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

Add chicken broth and cook another 4 minutes.

Remove chops to a baking pan and keep warm in a 225 degree F oven while making the gravy. 

Add reserved whiskey sauce to skillet and Kitchen Bouquet.
Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.  

Cook until reduced to a thick glaze, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add the butter. 

Cook for another couple of minutes.

Spoon sauce over chops and mashed potatoes.

Serves 2