Herbs De Provence Porkchops + Easy Cranberry Miso Maple Glaze

Easy, stovetop or airfryer porkchops that are juicy, and herb coated! Top them with 3-minute cranberry miso maple glaze and you have a dinner centerpiece worth savoring.

I caught my husband bragging about this dish to a few family members at a party. He’s a keeper and so is this recipe!

This recipe calls for butterfly porkchops. This style entails cutting the porkchop on it’s side and opening it up like a butterfly. This results in more even cooking and less of a chance of accidentally drying them out.

It all starts with a farm.

Like most of my recipes, they start with a farmer. Josh Kriner of Root & Sky Farm in Marengo, Illinois, is a regenerative farmer going against the norm and raising his pigs in the forest.

Why the forest?

As Josh put’s it on the Root and Sky website, “because they love it!” Pastured pork is hard to come by, but forest raised pork is even less available. The woods offer shade, a variety of wild food, and a source of entertainment for the pigs. Josh uses electric fencing to keep them safe and moves them every week or so to a fresh space to feed, revitalize and explore. Forest raised pork is known to be leaner, and in my opinion, tastier!

Marinade Breakdown.

The pork chops sit in a lovely marinade of sweet and savory spices for a short amount of time before searing on the stove top. Here’s what you need:

Herbs de Provence. This is Italian Seasoning’s fancy French cousin. I prefer a blend that has lavender in it. The floral notes go very well with pork.

Salt. Redmond Real Salt is my favorite. It’s unprocessed and mined in the United States (Utah.)

Chili Powder. Gives the marinade a bit of heat and savoriness.

Smoked Paprika. Gives that all-day cooked taste. Smoked paprika means the chilis were smoked during the drying process. Some brands opt to go the easy route and add liquid smoke instead. I prefer the true, wood smoked!

Red Wine Vinegar. Gives a tang and a sweetness, but less astringent than apple cider vinegar.

Olive Oil. Emulsifies the marinade and will ensure a good sear.

Glaze Details.

The juxtaposition of sweet syrup, tart berries and savory miso paste makes for a phenomenal glaze. Let’s dive deeper into why this is a glaze worth talking (or writing) about.

Cranberries. Frozen cranberries are preferred because once thawed, they will release just the right amount of liquid.

Maple Syrup. Freshly boiled maple syrup went straight into the glaze. After a 3-hour boil, a 5.5qt pot of sap came out to just the right amount of syrup for this recipe.

Yellow or White Miso Paste. This is one of those ingredients that is best not to judge by itself. It’s a strong smell and flavor that needs to be balanced with sweet or savory flavors. It gives a saltness and umami flavor to any dish. It can be found in the refrigerated section or in a shelf stable pouch in the international aisle or natural food section.

Apple Cider Vinegar. A sweet acid like ACV works best best.

Dijon Mustard. No subbing out for other mustard. Dijon is made with “verjuice,” or the juice of unripe grapes. It’s a more complex flavor, balanced but bold.

Stovetop vs. Air Fryer

Stove top has the benefit of the porkchops getting the chance to sear in butter and oil while cooking. Mixed with the herbs that will naturally come away from the chops, a sauce will form and is absolutely delicious. Cook time is a few minutes longer and clean up is slightly more intensive.

The air fryer has the benefit of magically locking in maximum moisture and creating a lightly fried crust that isn’t greasy. Air frying shaves a few minutes off the cook time and clean-up is a breeze.

Both options will produce an irresistible, juicy porkchop with intense flavor. The choice is yours!