Maple syrup is one of those ingredients that can go as well into sweets as into main courses. A maple syrup based glaze is good not only for pork chops recipes, but also for ham steak or other types of meat.

Ingredients:

• 8 pork chops (not too thick, the best ones are about 3/4 inch, either bone-in or boneless, as you desire)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Maple glaze ingredients:

• 2 cups maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons ketchup (mild or hot, according to your preference)
• 2 tablespoons mustard (if you choose hot ketchup, get classic mustard, otherwise the chops will be too hot)
• 2 tablespoons soya sauce (or Worchestershire sauce)

Cooking time: 45 minutes - 1 hour

Serves: 8

Cooking procedure:

Rub the meat cuts with salt and pepper on both sides. Pan fry the pork chops in olive oil until they get brown, then bake them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. You can turn them at the middle on the interval, so they get evenly cooked on both sides. While chops are in the oven, make the glaze. Combine the maple syrup with the sugar, ketchup, mustard and soya sauce, then boil the mixture slowly, at low temperature, stirring continuously. When it boils, set it aside. After the first 20 minutes of baking the pork chops passed, take them out of the oven and brush them with glaze, then keep on baking them for 20 minutes more, basting them with glaze at 7-8 minutes intervals. Serve them hot, together with the remaining glaze. As side dishes, you can prepare mashed potatoes. Other nice options for side dishes are sweet potatoes or grilled asparagus.