Pork Steak and Candied Yam Bake

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 6 bonelesss pork chops , 1/2 inch thick
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar , not packed
• 0.67 cups butter
• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 0.75 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 0.75 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 0.25 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 0.25 cups chopped pecans
• 2 cans cut yams , 15 ounce

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. 2

   Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

3. 3

   Season pork chops with salt and black pepper.

4. 4

   Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook pork chops until browned on both sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain pork chops on a paper towel-lined plate.

5. 5

   Heat brown sugar, butter, apricot preserves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla extract, and pecans in a saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar has dissolved and sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If sauce because too thick, stir in reserved yam liquid.

6. 6

   Stir in yams until well coated.

7. 7

   Transfer pork chops to the prepared baking dish.

8. 8

   Spoon yam mixture on top of the pork chops.

9. 9

   Bake in the preheated oven until pork chops no longer pink in the center, 30 to 45 minutes. Allow pork chops to rest for 10 minutes before serving.