Skip to main content

Pork Chops With Fig and Grape Agrodolce

4.8

(22)

Pork chops with grape and fig agrodolce and a radicchio salad on a white plate.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

Fresh figs and grapes cooked in balsamic vinegar and honey make an addictively sweet and sour sauce for pork chops in this seasonal fall dinner. A pleasantly bitter radicchio salad offsets all that sweet and sour in just the right way—you’re going to want dip it in the sauce as you eat.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    40 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

4 (1"-thick) bone-in pork chops, preferably Frenched (about 2 pounds)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon honey, divided
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved (about 10 ounces)
8 ounces fresh black Mission figs, halved
3 sprigs rosemary
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small head of radicchio (about 10 ounces), leaves separated and cut into medium pieces
1 cup (loosely packed) parsley leaves

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Season pork chops on both sides with 1 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper.

    Step 2

    Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over high. Working in batches if needed, sear pork chops until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet; reserve pan drippings in skillet. Roast pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 135°F, about 15 minutes. Let pork rest 5 minutes.

    Step 3

    Meanwhile, heat skillet with drippings over medium-high. Add vinegar and cook, scraping up drippings with a wooden spoon. Stir in red pepper flakes, if using, 2 Tbsp. honey, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Add grapes, figs, and rosemary and stir to coat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and fruit is softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter.

    Step 4

    Whisk lemon juice, mustard, and remaining 3 Tbsp. oil, 1 tsp. honey, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Add radicchio and parsley and toss to coat.

    Step 5

    Divide radicchio salad and pork chops among plates. Top with agrodolce.

Read More
This summery sheet-pan dinner celebrates the bounty of the season and couldn't be simpler to make. Chorizo plays nicely with the salad, thanks to its spice.
Tender, well-glazed, and just spicy enough, these ribs are the ultimate grill-out food. Cook fully in the oven ahead of time and finish them on the grill.
Cabbage is the unsung hero of the winter kitchen—available anywhere, long-lasting in the fridge, and super-affordable. It’s also an excellent partner for pasta.
Blue cheese lovers, this one's for you. A glossy blue cheese dressing is tossed with radicchio, hazelnuts, and roasted squash for a satisfying fall salad.
We don’t bake with grapes as often as we should. But even the most average supermarket varieties come alive when roasted with a bit of sugar and seasoning.
This grandma-inspired soup is equal parts cozy and bright.
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.