Apple Cider Glazed Pork Chops
This recipe is a part of my new series, “Staying In,” cozy dishes to cook on a weeknight with a friend. Pork chops are a great place to start because they’re cost-effective and cook quickly! I recommend to always stick with bone-in pork chops as it helps keep them moist. See how it’s made here.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1tbsp. canola oil (or any high-heat neutral oil)
2 bone-in pork chops
4 tbsp. salted butter, divided
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 sprigs rosemary
1 honeycrisp apple, sliced into ⅓” thick wedges
½ tsp. thyme leaves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 cup fresh apple cider
1 tsp. dijon mustard
Splash of apple cider vinegar
Make it!
Pat your pork chops dry with a paper towel and season generously with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper on both sides. Let sit at room temperature while you prep everything else.
Once you’re prepped, heat a cast iron pan over medium. Once hot, add the oil, moving it around until it shimmers a bit. Add the pork chops and flip every minute until each one starts to form a golden brown crust (about 10 minutes). It’s helpful to check the temperature to get it just right, you’ll want a reading of 130F°.
Baste! Once it’s hit 130F°, flip each one onto the fat cap and sizzle for 1 minute or until rendered. Turn the heat to low and add 2 tbps. butter along with the garlic and rosemary. Tilt the pan and baste the pork chops with the aromatic and butter for 1 minute and remove chops, garlic, and rosemary to a plate. Discard the rosemary and garlic.
Bring the heat back up to medium and add the apples, make sure they lay flat to get direct contact with the pan. Flip after 2-3 minutes on the first side or until they have a nice sear, repeat on the other side.
Remove the apples and add the shallot to the pan for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Once the shallots are browning, add the thyme and apple cider and increase the heat to medium high until the mixture starts to vigorously simmer. Reduce by half, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Once reduced, add the other 2 tbsp. butter and dijon mustard, stir or whisk to combine. Turn off the heat and splash in some apple cider vinegar. The sauce should now be emulsified and glossy! Turn heat back on to low and add the apples back in to warm up.
Carve the pork chop! First, carefully slice along the bone to separate the filet, but don’t throw it out! Slice the chops perpendicular to the bone, about ¼”-⅓” thick.
Assemble! Arrange the bone and pork chops on the plate, almost as if you were putting a puzzle back together. Scoop some apples onto the side of each chop and pour the glaze on top. Finish with flaky salt and enjoy!
