Pork chops, cabbage and apples are as natural a combination as peanut butter, jelly and bread. The mild, meaty flavor of the pork chops marries scrumptiously with braised cabbage, its natural sweetness highlighted by the flavor of sautéed apples. Thanks to the recipe below, you can master this fall dish, which comes together in just one pan.
The secret to perfection with the recipe is cooking the cabbage. Braised for just long enough, it becomes silky soft and buttery without taking on any of that sulfurous quality of overcooked cruciferous veggies. A touch of bacon and butter adds a luxurious quality to the finished dish, ideal for a cool autumn evening.
Pork chops with cabbage and apples
4
15 minutes
45 minutes
1 hour
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Four 6-ounce pork chops
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small, 2 pound green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup apple cider
¼ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the skillet, leaving the fat behind.
Rub the pork chops with mustard on all sides. Season with salt and pepper, and add to the skillet. Cook on both sides until just seared but not fully cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Add the onion and apple to the pan, and cook until brown. Deglaze with a tablespoon or two of water, if needed, to keep from burning.
Add the cabbage to the pan, and cook until slightly browned and wilted. Add the apple cider, broth, vinegar and thyme to the pan, and stir to combine. Return the pork chops to the pan, on top of the cabbage.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove the pork chops and cabbage from the pan with a slotted spoon. Reduce the remaining liquid in the pan by half, whisk in the butter, and drizzle over the cabbage and pork chops. Chop the bacon, and scatter it over the top.