Pork Chops with Apples and Cider Sauce
Pork chops, apples and cider collide in this typical dish from Brittany – a French region famous for its apple orchards and pig farms. These Pork Chops with Apples served in a cider-spiked creamy sauce are a favorite recipe amongst Brittany home cooks, as it’s a simple one-pan dish that boasts delicious sweet and savory flavors. It’s rustic, perfect for Fall and a great square meal for the whole family. How to cook perfect pork chops Because they can end up tough and dry if over-cooked, pork chops have a…
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- For the apples:
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter
- 2 large sweet baking apples, cored and cut into 12 wedges (peeled or unpeeled)
- For the pork chops:
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter
- 4 pork chops, bone-in, ¾ to 1 inch thick (6-7 ounces each)
- 2 tbsp (17g) flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- For the Cider Sauce:
- ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter
- 1 shallot or 1/2 medium-size onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 cup (250ml) apple cider (hard, dry)
- 1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock
- 1 tbsp (15ml) cognac (optional)
- 2 tbsp (32g) crème fraiche
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt, Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh chive, finely chopped
Instructions
- 1
Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.
- 2
One hour before cooking, take pork chops out of the fridge. Season with salt and pepper on both sides, and dust lightly with flour on both sides as well. Let stand on the counter to allow to warm up to room temperature.
- 3
Pre-heat your oven to 375°F(190°C) with a rack in the middle.
- 4
Step 1 – For the apples. Heat up a large skillet (or oven-safe frying pan) over medium-high heat and add one tablespoon of butter to the pan. When the butter sizzles, add the apple wedges in a single layer and cook until lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes. Flip apple wedges and cook again until lightly caramelized on the other side. Transfer apples onto a plate, cover with foil to keep warm and set aside.
- 5
Step 2 – For the pork chops. Melt another tablespoon of butter in the same skillet, over medium-high heat. Add pork chops to the skillet and sear for about 3-4 minutes, until golden-brown underneath. Flip the pork chops and sear again until brown underneath. Pop the skillet in the pre-heated oven and cook 10-12 minutes, until pork registers 140-145°F(60-63°C).
- 6
Remove skillet from the oven and transfer pork chops on the plate with the apples, cover with foil and set aside. Do not clean the skillet.
- 7
Step 3 – For the cider sauce. Add ½ tablespoon of butter to the skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and saute for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly caramelized. Add the cider and scrape the bottom of the pan (with a spatula) to unstick any grease/pork bits. Bring cider to a slow boil and simmer until cider is reduced to a thin syrup consistency – about 5 minutes.
- 8
Stir in the chicken broth, cognac (optional), crème fraiche and honey. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add ½ tbsp of fresh chive.
- 9
For serving, place pork chops and apples onto a large serving plate or individual plates and spoon the cider sauce over-top. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ tbsp of fresh chive.