PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND BACON

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It’s Sweater Weather! And along comes this 30-minute recipe for Pork Chops with Apples and Bacon

This cozy, 30-minute one-pan recipe is the kind of dinner that’ll make you feel like you’ve mastered the art of seasonal comfort cooking with almost no effort (because honestly, who has time?). You’re working with juicy, thick-cut pork chops soaking up the goodness of a sweet-smoky bacon and apple sauce, with a zing from mustard and a bit of herbal love from fresh sage. The whole thing? Bright, rich, and pretty much the culinary equivalent of a warm sweater.

If you’d like, you can order Fuji Apples simply by clicking on this photo.

Here’s the real magic: the Apples.

Crisp, tart apple slices meet smoky bacon. The apples cook down two ways — chunky halves stay tender-crisp for a bit of bite, while the smaller slices go all soft and jammy. It’s sweet meets savory, especially when the cider gets involved, turning everything into a sauce that’s equal parts sticky, smoky, and delicious. The pork? Well-seasoned and juicy, with those crispy fatty bits that make every bite a little indulgence. Oh, and don’t forget the mustard — its sharp tang cuts through the richness perfectly. Fried sage leaves? They’re not just there for show; they bring a crispy, herbal pop that finishes the dish with a bit of flair.

You can find wonderful collections of all kinds of Apples by clicking on the photo above;

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”

There’s some truth to this old saying. According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, apples pack a punch with fiber, vitamin C, and phytochemicals that boast antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, all while being low in calories. If that’s not enough to sway you, Harvard research suggests apples might help lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and Type 2 diabetes. While some apple varieties remain farm-exclusive treasures, you can typically find around 11 different types at your local grocery store. These include Red Delicious, Granny Smith, McIntosh, Gala, and the Fujis we used in this recipe. The Fuji was bred in Japan in the 1940s. One of the sweetest of all Apple varieties, Fujis are extremely juicy–in fact they’re too juicy to use for baking. But they are ideal with today’s recipe. And here it is followed by some other

PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND BACON

October 10, 2024

Servings: 4

Prep: 5 min

Cook: 25 min

Total: 30 min

Difficulty: Easy. Using a meat thermometer and pulling the pork right when it hits 140°F ensures your pork won’t be overcooked and will remain nice and tender when you slice into it.

This 30-minute, one-pan dinner features tender pork chops bathed in a sweet and smoky bacon-and-apple sauce that’s brightened with mustard and herbs.’

By: Monte Mathews

Ingredients

3 small Fuji apples

4 bone-in rib-cut pork chops (about 1 inch thick)

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped

2 sprigs sage

2 large shallots, sliced (about 1 cup)

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 cup apple cider

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Directions

Step 1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut 2 apples in half. Set aside

Step 2 Cut the remaining apple into thin slices

Step 3 Cover lightly with plastic wrap, and set aside. Season pork chops evenly with pepper and 2 1/4 teaspoons salt. Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over high until smoking. Cook pork chops, undisturbed, until browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer pork chops, browned side up, to a large plate. Set aside.

Step 4 Wipe skillet clean, and add bacon. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until rendered and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving drippings in the skillet. Set aside.

Step 5 Return skillet with drippings to medium-high. Add sage and halved apples, cut sides down

Step 6 Cook, undisturbed, until sage is crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer sage to the plate with bacon. Add sliced apple and shallots to skillet with halved apples. Cook, stirring often, until shallots are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in flour

Step 7 Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add apple cider and mustard. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat.

Step 8 Place pork chops, browned side up, in skillet, nestling apple halves between pork chops. Sprinkle with bacon. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven

Step 9 Bake until a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of pork registers 140°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven

Step 10 Season to taste with salt. Garnish with crisped sage

Step 11 Recipe Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, September 2024

Here are some other favorite recipes for Pork Chops. Click on the Photo or the link to go straight to the recipe.

Adam Rapoport’s Pork Chops with Celery and Almond Salad

Cheddar-Crusted Pork Chops With Apples, Red Onions and Red Peppers

Jacques Pépin’s Superb recipe for Spinach and Gruyère Stuffed Pork Chops

PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND BACON

It’s Sweater Weather! And along comes this 30-minute recipe for Pork Chops with Apples and Bacon

Here’s the real magic: the Apples.

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away”

PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND BACON

Ingredients

Directions

Here are some other favorite recipes for Pork Chops. Click on the Photo or the link to go straight to the recipe.

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