Garlic-Tarragon Pork Chops with a balsalmic-apricot demi-glace

served with smoked carrots, red onion, and garlic

 Boneless thick-cut pork chops

fresh garlic

dried tarragon

extra virgin olive oil

balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

  I've put the garlic through a garlic press, added dried tarragon, fresh-ground salt and pepper, and olive oil.  This is going to sit for a while and I'm going to work on the side dish.

I like to cut the carrots on a bias, 'cause I'm fancy like that.  Onions I cut in half, and then slice off wedges.  Garlic got the ends removed and went in whole.  I'm adding fresh-ground salt and pepper, cumin, this insane seasoning blend, and tarragon.  That all gets tossed in maybe 2T olive oil.

 

 Vegetable medley goes on the smoker at 450*.

Pork chops go into the pan with the rest of the marinade.  After the second turn, I'm adding a stick of butter and basting the chops every couple of seconds.

Veggies have a nice char to them after a little over 30 minutes, so I brought them in.

I used about 3T balsamic vinegar to scrap off the goodness from the pork chops, and then added the rest (about half a jar) of the apricot preserves that had been sitting in the door of the fridge for...well, for a while.

Life is good, dinner is better!