It’s Sweater Weather! And along comes this 30-minute recipe for Pork Chops with Apples and Bacon
The first cool evenings make me want apples in something other than dessert. These pork chops answer the call beautifully: thick-cut chops, smoky bacon, shallots and two kinds of apple texture, all brought together with cider and Dijon mustard in one skillet.
The apple halves keep their shape while the slices soften into the sauce. Crisp sage goes on at the end. It looks like a dinner you’ve fussed over, but the recipe takes about 30 minutes—just enough time to decide what to pour with it.
This recipe comes from Anna Theoktisto in the Food & Wine test kitchen. We made it with Fuji apples, whose sweetness works particularly well against the mustard and bacon. Here’s how to bring a little fall to the table.
You can find wonderful collections of all kinds of Apples by clicking on the photo above;
PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND BACON
September 24, 2026
: 4
: 5 min
: 25 min
: 30 min
: 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.
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<p><strong>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 1Preheat 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
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Wendy explains ”We created our apple jam after one of those overzealous days of apple picking yielded a larger-than-usual haul. With more apples than any family could consume, the experimenting began and gave way to what we think is the perfect blend of apples and cinnamon.”
“We source our apples from local NY Orchards -- Thompson's Orchard in Westchester Co andl Richters Orchard on Long Island. I have a special fondness for these family-owned farms. Richters Orchard was a big part of my childhood, as my sistersand I would go on weekly outings with my dad to stock up on apples and cider"
"We carefully blend different apples to create our flavor profile and find inspiration from seasonal spices to create our Apple Jam”. Wendy proudly states.
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Needless to say, we couldn’t wait to put Croton Trading Company’s Apple Jam to work making our Skillet Apple Pork Chops. This one-pot recipe is perfect for weeknights but so good you may want to serve to company. The chops finish cooking in Croton Trading’s Apple Jam and we always serve it on the side to give even more great apple taste to the dish. Here’s the recipe:
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (6-oz.) bone-in pork chops
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
½ cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
1 cup Croton Trading Rustic Apple Jam (we used Ginger Pear)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 small red onion, thinly vertically sliced
Chopped Parsley for garnish.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle pork chops evenly with 3/8 teaspoon salt and 3/8 teaspoon pepper. Add pork chops to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until pork chops beautifully browned. Remove from pan. Set aside pan and drippings.
In a small bowl, combine stock and Croton Trading Apple Jam, stirring with a whisk. Set aside. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan with drippings, swirl. Add remaining 3/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 3/8 teaspoon pepper, sage, rosemary, and onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in stock mixture. Return pork chops to pan; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Plate each chop individually. Top with chopped parsley as a garnish. Serve with plenty of Croton Trading Apple Jam on the side.
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It’s Sweater Weather! And along comes this 30-minute recipe for Pork Chops with Apples and Bacon
