As the weather gets cooler I look forward to creating delicious slow-braised dishes in my kitchen. My Tomato Braised Sicilian Pork Chops will definitely fill your belly and warm your soul.
Thanks to Reynolds Wrap® for sponsoring this recipe.
Not only are my Sicilian Pork Chops a delicious dish, but they couldn’t be easier to make. I like using Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty foil in their recipe because it locks in moisture and flavor, and it makes clean-up even easier!
Reynold’s Wrap® offers a variety of foil types and sizes for anything you’re cooking and now has color-coded boxes to make it easier for you to find which one you need in the grocery aisle, from Heavy Duty to Non-Stick Foil and their new addition 100% Recycled Aluminum Foil. They even added an easy open and close tab so the box stays closed when stored. Look for the blue box for Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty foil for this recipe.
What ingredients do I need to make Tomato Braised Sicilian Pork Chops?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Tomato Braised Sicilian Pork Chops. In chef speak, this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
What type of PORK CHOPS should I use for BRAISING?
Look for thick-cut pork chops, or buy a rack of pork and cut it into the right size chops. That’s what I did for this dish.
One of the issues we come across when cooking pork is how pork has changed over the years. Today’s pork chops are usually way too lean and need to be brined or slow-braised to make them tender.
Your other option is finding a heritage pig farmer that still lets pigs be pigs and hasn’t bred them to be lean and large.
How Do I make Sicilian Pork Chops?
Start by seasoning the pork chops on each side with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper. Add as much or little pepper as you like, but I always advise going a little heavier than you think on the salt because it never seems to be enough when it’s cooked.
*If you use regular table salt and black pepper, cut down on the amounts since it’s a smaller grain and you’ll use more.
The next step is to pan-sear the seasoned pork chops in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Don’t move them around, allow them to sear undisturbed. After searing remove the pork chops from the pan and set them aside until needed.
Saute the onions and garlic over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then add the tomatoes and seasoning to the pan. Bring to a light boil then reduce the heat to simmer.
Do I have to make the marinara spicy?
No, you don’t. This is your dinner, make it to your personal tastes.
What else can I add to my marinara?
You could add capers, olives (black or green), or mushrooms.
CAN I USE Store Bought Spaghetti Sauce for braising?
No, you can’t. Premade store-bought sauces aren’t meant to be heated for extended periods. Trust me, it will well be worth the effort and really won’t take much time to prepare.
Add the pork chops to the spicy marinara.
Wrap the pot tightly with Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil and place into a preheated 325-degree oven and cook for 2.5 hours.
Another thing I love about Reynolds Wrap® is it’s made in the United States. Located in Louisville, Kentucky for over 70 years, the Reynolds Factory creates they create the foil American families have used for generations.
When the pork chops are ready, check the sauce and reseason if needed. If the sauce isn’t thick enough you can let it simmer for a little longer on the stovetop. If the sauce is too thick you can add a little water to the sauce.
*Be careful not to move around the pork chops too much so they don’t break apart.
More Pork Recipes You’ll Love!
- Country Style Beer Braised Pork Shank
- Perfect Pulled Pork
- Peppered Pork Loin with a Sweet Chili Pecan Fruit Sauce
- Restaurant Style Stuffed Pork Chop
Tomato Braised Sicilian Pork Chops
Ingredients
- ReynoldsWrap® HeavyDuty Foil
- 4 thick cut pork chops approx. 8 ounces each
- 56 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic finely diced
- ½ cup onions small dice
- 2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp basil chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and sear on each side for 2 minutes.
- Transfer the pork chops to a tray while you start the tomato sauce.
- Add the chopped onions and garlic to the large ovenproof skillet over medium heat and saute for 1 minute or until fragrant. *add more olive oil if needed
- Add the hand-crushed tomatoes and half the basil to the pan and bring the sauce to a light boil.
- Add the pork chops back to the pan. The tomato should come close to covering the pork chops. It's okay if it does cover them.
- Cover the pan tightly with ReynoldsWrap® HeavyDuty Foiland bake for 2 hours and 15 minutes at 325 degrees.
- Reseason the sauce as needed and add the remainder of the basil to the sauce.*If the sauce is too thick add a little water. If the sauce is not thick enough you can let it simmer for another 20-30 minutes on the stovetop or back in the oven.
- Remove the finished pork chops from the pan and serve with pasta, rice or potatoes. Save the extra sauce, it's amazing!
Notes
Nutrition
Sol
My husband loves tomato based dishes and he will surely love this sicilian pork chops too!
Swathi
This tomato braised pork chops were delicious. Yummy meal.
Marysa
Sounds like a great combination. I haven’t made pork chops before and your instructions are so easy to follow.
Kathy
I love pork chops. I don’t make them as often as I’d like. I’ll have to try this recipe out. It looks so good.
Heather DiNuzzo
I’ve never tried braising pork chops but these look delicious. Bookmarking your recipe!
Anosa Malanga
I literally drool at the pictures while reading the instructions and recipes! Also, yeah Reynolds wrap is my trusted brand too!
Richelle Escat
This was so delicious. Tomatoes were great with the pork chops!
Terri Steffes
I cannot wait to try this. I have a bumper crop of basil and need more recipes that use it. We also love pork chops, too.
Amber Myers
I am drooling. This looks like such an amazing meal. I love pork chops!
Tara Pittman
My husband would like these pork chops. I will have to share this recipe with him.
Tasheena
I’ve never made Tomato Braised Sicilian Pork Chops before, looking forward to trying this recipe.
Petro Neagu
I made my husband super happy with this yummy dish, it was amazing!
Enriqueta E Lemoine
As usual, you nailed it with this Tomato braised pork chops. They are as flavorful as colorful! Thanks for the recipe.
Alex
I think a trip to the store is in order! I so want to try these for dinner tonight. They look just incredible!
Erin
Interesting! I’ve never combined pork chops with tomatoes but it looks and sounds really great. I can’t wait to try this!
Michelle
Can I hand crush whole San Marzano tomatoes?
Chef Dennis Littley
you absolutely can. I would normally do that but my wife doesn’t like chunky tomatoes.
Michelle
Dennis,
This recipe is amazing! I’m not a fan of pork chops but my husband likes them so I’m always trying to find a recipe that I like too. This one is pork perfection! Thank you so much.
veenaazmanov
Flavorful and a perfect side dish for any meal. Love to get going with this dish this weekend.
Sharon
This was a really delicious and hearty meal! It’s perfect for any night of the week but works perfectly for date night too.
Natalie
These pork chops were amazing. Lovely flavors.
Toni
I really love how it turned out! It was delicious and my family loved it!
Agnieszka
Super flavorful and juicy. Thank you for the recipe!
Brianna
THe sauce for these pork chops is divine!
Jeffery M kantor
Delicious pork chops
Lauren Michael Harris
I’m always looking for new ways to make pork chops and this was just perfect! It’s a great kid-friendly meal too!
Pam Greer
These came out so flavorful and mouth wateringly tender!
Amanda Dixon
These pork chops were delicious! I just love a good braised meat during the fall, and this was so satisfying and comforting.
Gloria
Well doesn’t this look like the perfect Sunday dinner? What a great way to enjoy pork chops. I know this will be a hit with the family.
Sue
I love pork in a tomato based sauce – and this did not dissapoint!
Laura
So flavorful and delicious
Debra
Slow and steady wins the race…I love how the flavors really had a chance to develop.
Kayla DiMaggio
These tomato braised pork chops were so delicious! We eat a lot of Sicilian food with my husband being sicilian, he said this reminded him of the flavors of home!
Jean
perfectly goes well with rice during our dinner. Easy to prepare and tasty!
Karen M Jameson
I see where it says to add half the basil to the sauce but don’t see where I should add the other half of the basil.
Chef Dennis Littley
sorry about that Karen, it goes in the sauce when you remove it from the oven.