# Lemon-Caper Pork Chops with Maple-Bacon Brussels Sprouts and Winter Vegetable Mash > Deeply seared pork chops get a bright lemon-caper pan sauce, with enough buttery juices to sweep through a smooth winter squash and sweet potato mash. Roasted Brussels sprouts bring crisp edges, smoky bacon and toasted pecans, with just a little maple syrup to round out their bitterness. A generous winter dinner with plenty of contrast. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/pork-chops-with-lemon-caper-sauce-maple-bacon-pecans-brussels-sprouts-winter-mas - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2025-02-03 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free ![Lemon-Caper Pork Chops with Maple-Bacon Brussels Sprouts and Winter Vegetable Mash](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Fcb0521d52836ec8a.jpg) ## Pan-Seared Pork Chops Thick chops develop a substantial crust without drying out. A short oven finish gives better control over the center than prolonged stovetop cooking. ### Ingredients - 4 boneless pork loin chops, 7–8 ounces each and 1¼ inches thick - 1¼ tsp fine sea salt - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper - 1½ tbsp ghee ### Instructions 1. Season the chops all over with salt and refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. Pat thoroughly dry before cooking and season with pepper. 2. Heat the oven to 425°F. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, then add the ghee. 3. Sear the chops until deeply browned, about 3 minutes per side, working in batches if necessary. Briefly hold the fat edges against the pan to render and brown them. 4. Return all chops to the skillet if they fit without overlapping and transfer to the oven; otherwise use a small baking sheet. Roast for approximately 4–8 minutes, checking early with an instant-read thermometer, until the centers reach 145°F. 5. Transfer to a warm platter and rest for at least 3 minutes, preferably 5–8 minutes. Reserve the skillet and resting juices for the sauce. ### Notes - Use temperature rather than color to judge doneness; safely cooked pork can retain a pink center. - If the skillet contains blackened rather than brown fond, wipe out those scorched patches before making the sauce. ## Lemon-Caper Pan Sauce Reduced wine and stock pick up the pork's browned fond, while capers and lemon cut through the richness. Cold butter gives the sauce its glossy finish without flour. ### Ingredients - 1 small shallot, finely minced - ⅓ cup dry white wine - ¾ cup gluten-free low-sodium chicken stock - 3 tbsp capers, drained and briefly rinsed - 2–3 tbsp fresh lemon juice - ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest - 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed - 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley - to taste fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Pour off excess fat from the pork skillet, leaving about 1 teaspoon and the brown fond. Set over medium-low heat and soften the shallot for 1–2 minutes. 2. Add the wine, scraping up the fond, and simmer until reduced by roughly half. 3. Add the stock and capers. Simmer until reduced to about ½ cup and lightly concentrated, 4–6 minutes. 4. Add the pork's resting juices and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cold butter a few cubes at a time until glossy. 5. Fold in the zest and parsley. Taste before adding salt, then adjust with pepper and the remaining lemon juice as needed. Keep warm without boiling. ### Notes - If the sauce becomes too salty or sharp, loosen it with a tablespoon or two of water before adjusting further. - If it separates, whisk in a teaspoon of cool water off the heat. ## Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecans, Bacon and Maple Roasting the sprouts before adding maple preserves their browned edges. Bacon supplies savory depth, while pecans add a crisp, buttery contrast. ### Ingredients - 1½ lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise - 4 slices thick-cut gluten-free bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces - ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped - 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more only if needed - 1 tbsp pure maple syrup - 2 tsp apple cider vinegar - ¼ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Spread the bacon on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 10–15 minutes, stirring once, until browned and crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate. 2. Leave about 1 tablespoon rendered bacon fat on the sheet. Add the sprouts, olive oil, salt and pepper; toss well and arrange cut-side down in a single layer. 3. Roast for 18–22 minutes, until the undersides are deeply browned and the centers are just tender. 4. Turn the sprouts, add the pecans and drizzle with maple syrup. Toss briefly and roast for another 4–5 minutes, watching that the nuts and syrup do not scorch. 5. Fold in the bacon and cider vinegar immediately before serving. Taste and adjust the salt. ### Notes - Use two sheets if needed; crowded sprouts steam rather than brown. - The maple should lightly glaze the sprouts, not leave a sticky puddle. ## Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Mash Butternut squash supplies a silky winter sweetness, while sweet potato gives the mash enough body to hold a generous swoop on the plate. ### Ingredients - 1 lb peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into ¾-inch cubes - 1 lb orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes - 3 tbsp unsalted butter - ¼ cup warm water, as needed - ¾ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Bring an inch of water to a simmer in a pot fitted with a steamer basket. Add the squash and sweet potatoes, cover and steam for 20–25 minutes, until both crush easily with a fork. Check that the pot does not boil dry. 2. Empty the pot and return the vegetables to it. Set over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring gently, to evaporate excess surface moisture. 3. Add the butter, salt and pepper. Mash thoroughly or process briefly in a food processor until smooth. 4. Add warm water a tablespoon at a time only if needed. The mash should be soft and silky but hold its shape. Taste and adjust the seasoning. ### Notes - Hold covered over very low heat or in a bowl over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The mash holds well, leaving the final minutes free for the pork and its pan sauce. The sprouts and pork share the same oven temperature. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Salt the pork and heat the oven to 425°F. Prepare the bacon, sprouts and mash vegetables. 2. 0:15 — Put the bacon in the oven and start steaming the squash and sweet potatoes. Measure the sauce ingredients. 3. 0:28 — Remove the crisp bacon and put the sprouts into the oven with the reserved bacon fat. 4. 0:35 — Finish the mash and keep it warm. Pat the pork dry and begin searing, allowing extra time if working in batches. 5. 0:46 — Add pecans and maple to the sprouts for their final few minutes. Finish the pork in the oven as needed, checking its temperature. 6. 0:52 — Rest the pork and make the lemon-caper sauce. Toss the sprouts with bacon and vinegar. 7. 1:00 — Slice the pork, sauce and serve on warm plates. Let doneness rather than the clock determine the exact serving time. ## Plating Keeping the three elements distinct preserves the sprouts' crisp edges while letting the mash catch the lemony pork juices. ### Instructions 1. Spoon a broad mound of mash onto one side of each warm plate and draw the back of a spoon through it. 2. Slice the rested pork across the grain into thick slices and arrange beside the mash. 3. Spoon the lemon-caper sauce over the pork, distributing the capers evenly. 4. Add the Brussels sprouts alongside, including plenty of bacon and pecans. Keep most of the sauce off the sprouts. ## Leftover Path Separate storage allows gentle reheating for the pork and sauce, and higher heat to refresh the sprouts. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate the pork, sauce, mash and sprouts in separate airtight containers within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days. 2. Reheat pork covered with a splash of stock in a 300°F oven until it reaches 165°F. Sliced pork will reheat faster but needs close watching to avoid drying out. 3. Warm the sauce gently over low heat, whisking in a little water if needed; avoid a hard boil. Reheat the mash covered with a splash of water, stirring until hot. 4. Refresh the sprouts in a 400°F oven for 8–12 minutes, watching the pecans and maple glaze closely. 5. Alternatively, thinly slice the cold pork for a lemony chopped salad with the leftover sprouts and pecans. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.