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Why I Love to Make These Pork Chops with Cabbage and Apples
The combination of pork and apples is the first meal that comes to mind during the fall. The pairing is traditional and is sometimes replaced with applesauce.
Pork is a simple, savory meat, and apples complement it with a subtle, sweet note. Fruit has the amazing ability to provide sweetness to a meal without making it seem like a dessert. The apples gain an almost savory quality, especially when mixed with cabbage.
To make this a one-skillet meal, the chops are brined first to ensure a well-seasoned and juicy meat. Once brined, they’re browned but not fully cooked. Onions and cabbage are cooked, pulling up any drippings left from the pork. Lastly, apples are added. The pork is placed on top of the cabbage and apples, and everything is finished in the oven, braising the cabbage and apples while finishing the pork perfectly.
Why pair apples with pork?
There are a lot of theories as to why these two are always paired together. One is that, in ancient times, the acidity of apples helped digest meats such as pork. Another is that farmers used to let pigs clean up the orchards of any fallen apples, thus associating the two.
The one I think is most true is that in the fall, when apples are usually ripe, farmers often begin butchering their meat and eventually put the two together.
Apples are a great fruit to cook with, but picking firm, crisp apples is important so that they hold up during the cook time. Adding the savory, slightly sweet allspice lifts the cabbage and brings the apples and cabbage into a perfect combination.
Do bone-in pork chops have to be used?
No, you can use boneless pork chops as well. Boneless will cook slightly quicker so be sure to watch closely. Leaving the bone on the pork chops helps retain moisture during the cooking time and gives slightly more flavor to the meat.
Does allspice work well with cabbage?
Allspice usually seems like it’s reserved for apple pies and crisps. The spice is made from ground dry berries of Pimenta dioica trees and is related to cloves. The spice works surprisingly well in the marinade for the pork chops and in the cabbage and apples component of this dish. The slight hint of the warming spice marries together the various flavors and ingredients. When eating, you cannot place the fact that allspice is used, but you enjoy the warm spice flavor imparted in each bite.
Follow These Tips
Serving
Serve hot, straight from the skillet, with a side of mashed potatoes or crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Freeze cooled portions for up to 2 months.
More Recipes Like This
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- Roasted pork tenderloin with apples and squash
- Grilled cabbage salad
- Spiced pork tenderloin with roasted vegetables
- Spiced pork and nectarine summer salad
- Skillet cabbage and sausage
- How to make sauerkraut
Pork Chops with Cabbage and Apples
Ingredients
For the pork chops
- 4 6-oz bone-in pork chops
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the cabbage and apples
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 lb cabbage sliced
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large apples cored and sliced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, and black pepper. Mix together. Sprinkle on all sides of pork chops, using all the spice mixture. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.1 tbsp kosher salt, ¾ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp allspice, ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 4 6-oz bone-in pork chops
- Once the pork chops have brined, remove them from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Over medium heat, add 1 tbsp neutral oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. Brown the pork chops on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet add the sliced onions and salt to the remaining oil and pork drippings. Sauté until softened and slightly brown, 4-5 minutes. Deglaze the pan by adding the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, allspice, and pepper. Add the sliced cabbage and cook until beginning softened and slightly reduce in volume, 4-5 minutes. Add the apples. Stir and add the pork chops on top.1 medium onion, 1 tsp kosher salt, 2 lb cabbage, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 2 large apples
- Roast in the oven until the pork chops reach 155°F. Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the pork chops to rest for 10 minutes to finish cooking and reach a temperature of 160°F.
- Slice off the bone or leave whole and serve with the cabbage and apples.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
I love this pork, apple, cabbage dish, but I can’t remember how long I cooked it last time and this recipe gives no clue. I hardly ever cook pork, and I usually cook on the stovetop rather than oven, so I don’t have a sense of how long in the oven it may take. I know it can vary, but ballpark? Estimate? Range?
Don’t remove the brine before pan frying the chops?
This recipe is much too salty! And needs liquid added. It is very dry.