Pork Chops with Apples
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https://instructions.wiki/recipes/pork-chops-with-apples
Makes 4 · 15 min prep · 30 min cooking
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops, 1 1/4 inches thick, about 12 oz (340 g) each
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 firm apples, cored and sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and dry the chops
Pat the chops completely dry with paper towels, then season both sides with the salt and pepper. Leave them on a plate at room temperature for 20 minutes. A wet surface steams instead of browning.
Sear the chops
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until it shimmers. Lay in the chops without crowding, working in two batches if needed. Sear 3 to 4 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms. Move them to a plate. They are not cooked through yet.
Cook the apples and onion
Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion to the fat in the pan and cook 4 minutes. Add the apple slices and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, turning once, until the apples are browned at the edges but still hold their shape.
Build the pan sauce
Pour in the cider and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Stir in the mustard, butter, and thyme. Simmer 2 minutes, until the sauce is glossy and lightly thickened.
Finish the chops to 145F (63C)
Nestle the chops back into the pan along with any juices from the plate. Spoon the apples over them. Cover and cook 4 to 7 minutes, until an instant read thermometer in the center of a chop, away from the bone, reads 145F (63C).
Rest 3 minutes and serve
Move the chops to a board or plates and rest 3 minutes before cutting. Pork is safe at 145F (63C) with that rest, and it will still be faintly pink at the center. That is what a juicy chop looks like. Cooking to 160F is the single reason most chops turn out dry. Spoon the apples, onion, and pan sauce over the top.