By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
281 cal · 45 min
Citrus-Glazed Pork Chops With Watercress
Recipe GLPR7e9ff79a9e702e
Four thick-cut, bone-in pork rib chops are seasoned with brown sugar and salt, then seared until golden and cooked through. While they rest, citrus is caramelized in the pan and combined with garlic, mirin, and oyster sauce to create a glossy, umami-rich glaze. Charred lemon and orange juice brighten a fresh watercress salad that rounds out the plate alongside the remaining fruit wedges.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
4 1-inch-thick bone-in pork rib chops
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
3 Cara Cara or navel oranges, cut into 4 wedges each
2 lemons, halved crosswise with seeds removed
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ cup mirin
½ cup oyster sauce
4 oz. watercress, trimmed
Directions
Combine the light brown sugar and kosher salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle this mixture evenly on both sides of the pork chops.
Heat 1 Tbsp. of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, cook 2 pork chops at a time without moving them until the undersides are well browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until browned and the internal temperature reaches 145°F, about 4 minutes. Remove to plates and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil between batches.
While the pork chops rest, place the orange wedges and lemon halves cut-side down in the same skillet without wiping it out. Cook over medium-high heat, undisturbed, until lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Transfer the lemons to a plate, then flip the orange wedges and cook until charred on the other side, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the lemons.
Reduce heat to low and add the sliced garlic to the skillet. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the mirin and oyster sauce, then squeeze the juice from 4 orange wedges and 2 lemon halves directly into the pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, toss the watercress with the juice from the remaining 4 orange wedges and 2 lemon halves. Season with salt to taste.
Drizzle the warm glaze over the rested pork chops. Arrange the watercress salad and remaining orange wedges alongside each chop on the plate.
Comments
Watercress is the catch here—it's not a staple at most Charlotte grocers and you'll need a stop at Harris Teeter's produce section or a specialty market, adding real friction to a weeknight. The pork chops, citrus, and basic aromatics are easy finds everywhere, and at $4–5 per pork rib chop the cost per serving lands around $7–8 total, which is reasonable for a protein-forward dinner. The 45-minute claim glosses over 10–15 minutes of zesting, juicing, and mincing garlic; honest time is closer to an hour. It's a smart, restaurant-feeling dish that doesn't demand babysitting, reheats adequately, and plays well with North Carolina's citrus season, but the watercress detour and time underestimate will surprise a cook aiming for quick.
Sign in or create a free account to add your review.
