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Garlic Butter Pork with Lemon Asparagus – Super flavorful and so easy to throw together, this garlic butter pork and asparagus recipe is a total winner for dinnertime! Tender pan-seared diced pork bites with crispy edges are cooked to perfection in a delicious garlic butter sauce and served with healthy asparagus. This low carb, keto-friendly one-pan pork dinner is ready in under 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Ingredients list for the Garlic Butter Pork with Lemon Asparagus
- 1 1/2 lb (600g) pork, cut into small dices
- 2 bunch of asparagus, rinsed and trimmed
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbes de Provence
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, optional (we used Sriracha)
- 1/2 cup (125ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- Crushed red chili pepper flakes, optional
- Slices of lemon, for garnish
For the pork seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
1. To prepare the garlic butter pork with lemon asparagus: Season diced pork with salt, pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, cayenne, and onion powder. Let sit in a shallow plate while you prepare the asparagus.
2. Wash and trim the ends of the asparagus, then blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes then soak in ice water to stop the cooking asparagus. This way, asparagus will cook faster and evenly in the skillet. You can skip this step if you have thin asparagus. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat half butter and olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Gently stir-fry the pork on all sides until golden brown. Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and Italian seasoning and stir and cook with pork bites until fragrant. Remove the diced pork from the skillet and set aside to a plate. You might have to work in batches to avoid crowding the pan and have steamed pork bites.
4. In the same skillet over medium-high, add remaining minced garlic then deglaze with chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to reduce to half the volume. Add remaining butter, lemon juice, hot sauce, parsley. Give a quick stir to combine.
5. Add the blanched asparagus and toss for 3 minutes to cook it up. Add the sauteed pork bites back to the pan and stir for another minute to reheat. Garnish the diced pork and asparagus with more parsley, crushed chili pepper, and lemon slices and serve your garlic butter pork with lemon asparagus immediately. Enjoy!
Tips for the diced pork and asparagus recipe
Ready in under 30 minutes, these diced pork bites with asparagus are a quick and easy family favorite! Here are a few tips to turn this pork recipe from great to wonderful:
- Depending on the thickness of your asparagus, you might want to skip blanching.
- Preheat your pan or skillet and get it nice and hot before adding the pork bites so they develop a crisp golden crust.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking the diced pork. Proceed by batches so pork meat gets that delicious crisp golden crust!
- There’s no need to marinate pork, just seasoning! The lemon garlic butter sauce alone creates incredible flavors when mixed through the pork juices.
- Don’t forget about that touch of heat with the crushed red chili flakes and Cayenne pepper. But it is completely optional if you’re not a fan of a spicy kick.
- If you’re extra hungry serve the pork and asparagus over steamed rice, cauliflower rice or vegetables.
What pork cut should I use?
Pork loin, tenderloin or pork chops are on the leaner side, while pork shoulder or picnic roast will provide more fat and flavor. Pork meat is cut in small pieces so the former choice might dry up a little faster than the later, but the sauce will ensure everything is moist and delicious. It is up to you!
How long to cook pork?
Pork is cut in small pieces so it shouldn’t take too long to cook in the skillet. It should reach 145ºF (63ºC) to be done. Keep an eye on the skillet and stir form time to time, letting the edges caramelize. Rest the garlic butter pork in the sauce for a couple of minutes before serving.
More one-pan recipes
- Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Lemon Asparagus
- Garlic Butter Chicken and Potatoes Skillet
- Garlic Butter Steak and Potatoes Skillet
- 15-Minute Garlic Butter Chicken with Parmesan Cauliflower Rice
- Garlic Butter Shrimp with Asparagus
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
