Maple-Glazed Cast Iron Pork Chops

Thick-cut pork chops seared hard in cast iron, then finished with a dark St. Lawrence Valley maple syrup glaze and a splash of cider vinegar. Built for a cold night when you want something that sticks to your ribs.

There's a reason cast iron and maple syrup show up together in so many North Country kitchens — the pan gets hot enough to build a real crust, and the syrup, once it hits that heat, turns into something closer to a glaze than a sweetener. Use a dark or very dark maple grade here, not the delicate golden syrup you'd save for pancakes. Dark syrup has more backbone and holds up against the vinegar and the pork fat without disappearing.

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork chops, 1 to 1½ inches thick
• Salt and black pepper, to season
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme
• ⅓ cup dark maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Pat the pork chops dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking — this alone makes a noticeable difference in how evenly they sear.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high until it's hot enough that a drop of water skitters and evaporates almost instantly. Add the oil.
3. Lay the chops in the skillet without crowding them. Sear undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes, until deeply browned. Resist the urge to move them early — that crust is most of the flavor.
4. Flip the chops, then add the butter, garlic, and rosemary to the pan. As the butter melts, tilt the skillet and spoon it over the chops for about 3 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, cider vinegar, and mustard. Pour it into the skillet around the chops.
6. Let the glaze bubble and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the chops once or twice, until an instant-read thermometer reads 145°F at the thickest point.
7. Transfer the chops to a plate and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving — this keeps the juices in the meat instead of on the cutting board. Spoon the remaining glaze over the top.