Pork Chops with Quick Applesauce
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.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 391kcal
Ingredients
- 4 (about 2 lbs) boneless pork chops
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- ¾ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 ½ tsp 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.
- 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.
- Core the apples and slice them into quarters. Place the apple pieces in the skillet amongst the pork chops.
- 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: 1serving | Calories: 391kcal