Table of Contents
  1. This easy weeknight meal cooks quickly.
  2. Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
  3. Here’s how to make this recipe.
  4. These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
  5. Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
  6. You're sure to love these other fall recipes.
  7. Watch how to make this recipe.
  8. Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
  9. Pork Chops with Quick Applesauce Recipe

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This fall recipe is a quick meal made all in one skillet. A quick applesauce is roasted with pork chops marinated in a terrific spice rub. It’s super delicious, very seasonal, and perfect as a one-dish weeknight meal.

This easy weeknight meal cooks quickly.

I think we can all agree that we love to feel the seasons through food. Personally, when the air starts to chill, I instantly think of foods with warm spices and ingredients that lean towards comfort.

Pork chops may not be your first thought, but when apples in the form of applesauce are added, the meal immediately tastes seasonally like fall. Boneless pork chops are cut from the loin with a minimal fat cap and a small amount of marbling throughout, which gives them good flavor while also being lean. Since they’re boneless, they cook relatively fast, making this recipe perfect for a weeknight meal.

When working with any cut of meat, salt is what can really work to enhance the flavor. And the perfect way to employ salt for this purpose is with a dry brine. Rather than using liquid like a wet brine would, a dry brine is exactly how it sounds: dry! Usually, a dry brine pairs salt with herbs or spices. This mixture is sprinkled over the meat, working into the outside of the meat as it brines. This keeps the meat juicy and super flavorful.

Apples are cooked alongside the meat and then mashed into a quick applesauce. At this point, you have a perfect meal.

Metal skillet filled with smashed apples and browned pork chops with part of one sliced into slices.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

These pork chops are a great weeknight meal because of the limited number of ingredients. With six pantry herbs and spices required for the dry brine and three additional components, you’re sure to have everything on hand. Here are some of the important ingredients:

  • Pork chops have a light flavor that works well with spices and herbs. Plus, they are relatively easy to find. Choose boneless for a lean cut that cooks quickly.
  • Apples are easy to find, especially in the fall. Go for a variety of apple that breaks down easily during cooking, such as Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, or Pink Lady.
  • Dried spices, in this case, thyme, rosemary, sage, and garlic, are preferable when it comes to dry brining. They have strong essential oils that work with the salt to flavor the meat.
Marble surface filled with all of the ingredients needed to make pork chops with quick applesauce including raw pork chops, salt, butter, apples, and spices.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

What truly makes this a weeknight meal is the ease of preparation. Besides the time spent marinating, everything comes together very quickly with little active time. Here are the steps to make these pork chops:

  1. Dry brine the pork chops. Place the pork chops on a pan, ensuring they do not overlap. In a small bowl, combine the salt, thyme, rosemary, sage, and garlic. Once the salt and spices are mixed, sprinkle each pork chop with the dry brine and coat all sides. Cover the pork chops and place them in the refrigerator to brine for six to 24 hours.
  1. Brown the pork chops. Once the pork chops have been brined, to an oven-safe skillet on the stove, add the butter. Let the butter melt, then add each of the pork chops. All four should fit within the skillet. When each pork chop is browned on one side, flip it and brown it on the other for about four to six minutes per side.
  1. Chop up the apples. Remove the core from each apple, then slice the apple in half from top to bottom, and then each subsequent half in half again, resulting in a quartered apple.
  1. Add in the apples and cook. To the skillet with pork chops that have been browned on both sides, nestle in the chopped apples. Push the apples into the spaces between the pork chops. Then place the entire skillet in the oven and bake at 375°F for 12 to 16 minutes.
  1. Mash the apples. When the pork chops are at the correct temperature (see pro tip below), remove them from the skillet and set them aside. Continue to cook the apples until they are tender. This will vary depending on the variety of apples and the ripeness. Once at the desired tenderness, remove the skillet from the oven. Using a masher, smash the apples to a rough consistency, making sure to mix the apples into the pan juices. Nestle the pork chops back amongst the mashed apples and serve immediately.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

  • Do not be afraid to use salt for the dry brine. While the salt may seem like a lot of sodium, when we cook at home, it’s hard to overdo the salt. Instead, having too much sodium in a diet comes from processed foods and eating out at restaurants. The dry brine for these pork chops will impart flavor and break down the walls of the meat, allowing for even more flavor.
  • When chopping up the apples, no specific sizing is required. Remember that the apples will be mashed once they cook, breaking them down even smaller. If you want to make this meal as quickly as possible, cut the apples into quarters and let the oven do the rest.
  • Remove the pork chops from the skillet when they are five degrees lower in temperature (140°F) than their finished temperature (145°F). While the pork chops sit, they will continue to cook and reach the final desired temperature. This prevents them from becoming overdone and keeps them at a perfectly moist texture.
Metal skillet sitting on marble surface filled with smashed apples and four boneless pork chops nestled on top.

Frequently asked questions about this recipe.

Can this recipe be made with pork chops that are still on the bone?

Yes, you can use bone-in pork chops for this recipe. The chops will take longer to cook with the bones, so you must adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Can another fruit be used with this recipe instead of apples?

Pears would be a great substitute for apples since they will cook in about the same time and work well mashed into a sauce.

Does the skin need to stay on the apple, or can it be removed?

No, you can easily peel the apples before cooking if you do not want the skins’ texture. But once the apples cook, the skins become soft and almost unnoticeable in the applesauce.

Can the pork chops be marinated for less than six hours if I’m in a time crunch?

Yes, the pork chops could be marinated for as little as two hours, but the dry brine’s benefits will not be as pronounced. Additionally, the meat could tend to be dry if brined for less than six hours.

Watch how to make this recipe.

YouTube video

More fall recipes

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Large metal skillet sitting on white marble with cooked pork chops and mashed apples underneath right after coming out of the oven.

Pork Chops with Quick Applesauce

4.91 from 10 votes
This fall recipe is a quick meal made all in one skillet. A quick applesauce is roasted with pork chops marinated in a terrific spice rub. It’s super delicious, very seasonal, and perfect as a one-dish weeknight meal.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 (about 2 lbs) boneless pork chops
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • 1 tsp garlic granules
  • 1 ½ tsp unsalted butter
  • 3 apples

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, place the salt, black pepper, thyme, sage, garlic granules, and rosemary. Stir to combine. Sprinkle and rub the salt mixture over all sides of the pork chops, making sure to use all of the salt mixture. Cover the pork chops and place them in the refrigerator to marinate for 6-24 hours.
    4 (about 2 lbs) boneless pork chops, 1 tbsp kosher salt, ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1 tsp dried sage, 1 tsp garlic granules
  • Once the chops are marinated, preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the butter and allow it to melt. Add the chops to the butter and brown them on each side, 4-6 minutes per side.
    1 ½ tsp unsalted butter
  • Core the apples and slice them into quarters. Place the apple pieces in the skillet amongst the pork chops.
    3 apples
  • Set the skillet in the preheated oven. Roast until the meat reaches 140°F, about 14-18 minutes. Once the meat is at 140°F, remove the chops from the oven and allow them to rest, where they will reach the finished 145°F needed. Check the apples. If they are soft and meet little resistance when poked with a knife, they are ready. If the apples are still crunchy, place them in the oven to continue roasting until they are soft, 10-15 minutes more.
  • Once the apples are soft, mash them into a quick applesauce. The applesauce will be rough with an uneven texture. Serve the pork chops with the applesauce.

Notes

  • Do not be afraid to use salt for the dry brine. While the salt may seem like a lot of sodium, when we cook at home, it’s hard to overdo the salt. Instead, having too much sodium in a diet comes from processed foods and eating out at restaurants. The dry brine for these pork chops will impart flavor and break down the walls of the meat, allowing for even more flavor.
  • When chopping up the apples, no specific sizing is required. Remember that the apples will be mashed once they cook, breaking them down even smaller. If you want to make this meal as quickly as possible, cut the apples into quarters and let the oven do the rest.
  • Remove the pork chops from the skillet when they are five degrees lower in temperature (140°F) than their finished temperature (145°F). While the pork chops sit, they will continue to cook and reach the final desired temperature. This prevents them from becoming overdone and keeps them at a perfectly moist texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 391kcal
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Difficulty Easy
Method Cooking

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Kaleb

I’m Kaleb! I'm not a chef, professional baker, landscaper, or designer, but I like to play each on Knollgate Farm. Come join me on my journey and let's learn together!

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4.91 from 10 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I have really enjoyed watching your videos. I’m not a great cook and I have attempted a few things, around Christmas I make your grandma’s peanut brittle and hand out to my family, friends and neighbors ( they all ❤️ it) I have been trying to find out what stainless steel pans you use. I’ve tried a few stainless steel pans but find they always stick☹️ Keep up the good work. I enjoy watching how real you seem and tell Joel he also does a great job❣️

  2. 5 stars
    Sorry posted earlier but wanted to leave a rating. 5⭐️
    I also was asking about your stainless steel pans (I don’t want to buy an expensive stainless steel pan and it also sticks when I use it, yours always seems so good at cooking things without sticking)
    Thank you for your time.

  3. 4 stars
    Hi, lived the simplicity of the pork chops with apples but it would have been extremely helpful to give a time frame for cooking to reach 140! I hated fretting over every few minutes to see if they had reached this since I don’t have a thermometer that registers the meat well in the oven . Other than that I also think a bit of apple cider and chicken stock added made everything more tender.