This post is also available in Spanish
Colombians love all kinds of meat and pork is one of the country’s favorites. I remember my grandmother saying that she did not have any food in the house with which to cook, yet the pantry and refrigerator were filled with food. For Mamita and her family, not having meat in the house was like having no food at all.
The Prune sauce or Salsa de Ciruelas goes great with the pork chops and you can use the sauce with other types of meat dishes as well. This sauce is very popular on Christmas Eve dinner and other holidays in Colombia.
Buen provecho!
Ingredients
(4 Servings)
- 4 pork chops
- ¼ cup salt
- 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup pitted prunes
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup of red wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup water
- Pinch of salt
Prune Sauce
Directions
- Disolve the salt in the water in a large bowl, place the pork chops in the mixture, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pork chops from the mixture and pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chops into the heated oil and cook about 5-7 minutes per side, depending on how thick the chops are. Transfer the pork chops to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium low. In the same pan add the butter, prunes, water, pinch of salt and sugar. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the wine and salt and continue cooking for 15 minutes more. Pour half of the sauce over the chops and serve immediately, using the remaining sauce as table gravy.
Gera @ SweetsFoods says
Prune sauce is one of my favorite sauces and match perfect with pork or beef, for sure it taste delicious!
rebecca subbiah says
nice recipe, my Grandma says there”s no food in the house when there is no cake!! but we are British look forward to learning Columbian cooking from you Rebecca
Alan Bowman says
Rebecca – to start with, you need to learn that Colombia is not spelled with ‘u’
Anonymous says
Why point out mistakes.
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie says
I’ve never had a prune sauce and it sounds delicious especially on the pork chop! Great recipe!
Joan Nova says
I love cooking with prunes, especially in a pork or chicken fricasse.
Melanie says
I love prune sauce–my Grandma used to make beef with prunes and sweet potatoes-so delicious.
Rosalba says
I made this last night and my husband and I LOVED it!! I will definitely make this again. I might try flank or skirt steak with this next time.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
The sauce makes the dish! This looks really tasty, Erica.
Alan Bowman says
Usually one of the consequences of prunes is urgent visits to the toilet. How do you prevent that?
Lydia says
To start with Alan, you could try not making it. Otherwise, instead of having just a smart ass, you’ll have a runny one as well.
Alan Bowman says
I have just made, and eaten chilli with chocolate and too much chilli powder can make it smart as well!
BTW an ass is a quadruped of the equine type.
Lydia says
You see Alan, in British English, you would be a ‘smart ARSE’ but in the US, you would be refered to as a smart ASS. Either way, you’re an idiot.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/smart-arse
grace says
that sauce sounds delicious! prunes are one fruit i’ve never tried with pork but i’m sure it’s terrific!