Brothy Sherried Pork Chops with Butter Beans and Almond Gremolata

By Leslie Blythe Beans, Pork Sautéing, Simmering

September 28, 2025

Brothy Sherried Pork Chops with Butter Beans and Almond Gremolata is a comforting and flavorful one-pot meal. Thick, bone-in pork chops are seasoned and seared before being braised. The chops are simmered slowly in a sherry and chicken stock, along with onions, rosemary, and bay leaf. This long simmer ensures the pork is very tender, often described as "nearly falling off the bone," and creates a rich, savory broth. Canned butter beans are added toward the end of the cooking process to warm through and soak up the flavors of the sherry-infused broth, adding a creamy texture to the dish. It’s topped with this bright Gremolata, which is a mix of finely chopped almonds, parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. It adds a crunch and nutty flavor, cutting through the richness of the pork and broth.

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 30 mins
Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

For the Pork

4 thick bone-in pork rib chops (9 oz. each)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

4 small onions, peeled and halved

⅔ cup oloroso sherry, or other dry or off-dry fortified wine

2½ cups chicken stock

4 rosemary sprigs

1 bay leaf

15½-ounce can butter beans, drained and rinsed

For the Almond Gremolata

¼ cup blanched almonds, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves

Directions

1Season the pork generously with salt and black pepper and set aside. To a large pan set over medium heat, add the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the onions cut-side down and cook until deep golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.

2Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Turn the heat to medium-high and add more oil if the pan looks dry. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the pork and cook, flipping halfway through cooking, until browned on both sides, about 7 minutes total. Transfer to the plate with the onions.

3To the empty pan, add the sherry and continue cooking over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by about half, 2–3 minutes. Return the pork and onions to the pan, then add the stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and add the rosemary and bay leaf. Cover and cook until the pork is softened and nearly falling off the bone, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Season with salt, then add the beans. Turn the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes more.

Meanwhile, make the Almond Gremolata

1To a small dry pan set over medium heat, add the almonds and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the oil and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon zest, then scrape into a small bowl and stir in the parsley.

2To serve, transfer the pork to a serving platter if desired (or serve straight from the pot) and sprinkle with the gremolata.

Recipe by Nigel Slater, Saveur.

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