Pork chops in a strawberry port sauce lean into the fruit’s savory side

I typically associate berries with the summer months. But in reality, strawberry season typically starts in late spring, and as early as February in some parts of the country. So the time to start enjoying the crimson fruit is … *checks calendar* … now.

A ripe strawberry can shine on its own, requiring only a quick rinse before I grab it by its leaves and take a big bite. When I do cook with the fruit — either because of less-than-perfect specimens, an abundance of berries that I need to make use of or a desire to experiment in the kitchen — I’m inclined to play up its sweetness by mixing it with sugar in a dessert. But on the other side of strawberry’s saccharine quality is a tartness that offers balance and makes it a welcome addition in savory recipes, too.

A pan sauce is a great place to start. Here, strawberries mix with port wine, ginger and black pepper to accompany simply seasoned and seared pork chops.

The recipe starts with thick-cut, bone-in pork chops that are patted dry and sprinkled all over with salt and pepper. When eating the meat plain, I’m a fan of searing the chops to get some good browning before basting with butter to finish them off. But with a pan sauce, I’m okay with forgoing the deep browning by cooking the pork over moderate heat and flipping them frequently, which is slightly less fussy than the other method and also leads to evenly cooked meat.

Once the chops are set aside to rest — always rest meat before cutting into it! — it’s time to make the pan sauce.

With the strawberries, I like to start by washing and then hulling them, or removing the green leaves and stems. (While the leaves and stem are edible, their flavor has been described as mostly nonexistent or earthy, the texture isn’t always desired, and sometimes they’re removed purely for aesthetics.) You could simply lop off the top of the berry and toss it to the side, but that wastes a decent amount of delicious flesh in the process. Instead, use the tip of a paring knife to cut around just the hull, leaving more berry goodness intact for you to enjoy.

To hull a strawberry: Grab a sharp paring knife with your dominant hand, gripping the blade with your index finger and thumb, and leave about 1 inch poking out. Holding the strawberry in your other hand, insert the blade into the fruit at a 45-degree angle on the top of the berry just outside where the leaves are growing. With a steady grip on the knife, rotate the blade and the fruit in opposite directions until you completely cut around the stem area. Then the hull should easily come out. (For tackling large amounts of fruit, you can use a strawberry huller, which is specially designed for the task and is safer than using a knife.)

The strawberries are then quartered and added to the skillet alongside ruby port (a sweet fortified wine that generally tastes like red berries) and fresh ginger for a hint of sweet spice. Let the contents of the pan cook so the fruits release some of their juices and the liquid reduces. Cold butter is whisked in at the end to add sheen and luscious body to the sauce before it’s finished with fresh lemon juice and a healthy dose of black pepper. The pepper might sound like a strange addition, but it marries well with the ginger, and their combined spice — as well as the acidity from the lemon juice — help to balance the sweetness of the fruit and wine.

One bite of the chop with the strawberry sauce and you’ll quickly understand why pork and fruit go so well together. The mild, savory meat is a great canvas for strawberry’s sweet-tart flavor that gets highlighted in this pan sauce. It makes for a special-occasion-worthy main dish that takes just 40 minutes to prepare, meaning you can enjoy it any night of the week.

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Pork Chops With Strawberries and Port

Two (12-ounce) center-cut, bone-in pork chops, about 1 inch thick

¼ teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon peanut oil or other neutral oil

8 ounces strawberries, hulled and quartered (about 2 cups)

¾ cup ruby port

1 tablespoon minced or finely grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed

Pat the meat dry and sprinkle all over with the salt and ½ teaspoon of the black pepper.

In a large (12-inch) stainless steel skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the pork chops and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until browned on the outside and the internal temperature in the thickest part away from the bone registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 minutes. If your chops have a fat cap, use tongs to stand them up, pressing the fat cap into the skillet to render and sear until crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer the pork chops to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let rest while you make the pan sauce.

Add the strawberries, port and ginger to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the butter, a couple of pieces at a time, stirring constantly until the sauce emulsifies and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the lemon juice and the remaining ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Taste, and season with more salt, pepper and lemon juice, if desired. Serve each chop with a pour of the strawberry sauce.

Substitutions: For center-cut, bone-in pork chops, use any type of pork chops, with an adjustment to the cooking time for thinner and boneless cuts. For strawberries, use raspberries or cherries. For ruby port, use tawny port, red wine or cherry juice. For lemon juice, use white wine vinegar.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional information per serving | 770 Calories: 22g Carbohydrates, 201mg Cholesterol, 42g Fat, 3g Fiber, 53g Protein, 16g Saturated Fat, 426mg Sodium, 13g Sugar

— Aaron Hutcherson