Pork Chops with Shallot-Apple Cider Pan Sauce
19
I guess in some ways, I’m your typical American consumer. Bigger is better, right?
I rarely buy apple cider. Having a warm cup at the cider mill is a must, but actually buying it and drinking it at home is pretty rare. I’m just not much of a juice person. But, when I decided a while back to make a cider gravy, there I was, buying apple cider. And even *knowing* that I’m not a person to just drink apple cider at home, I surmised that I HAD to get the gallon of apple cider because it was on sale, and it was therefore the same price of the half gallon. It’s just logical, right? Nevermind that the chances of me going through a gallon of apple cider are slim to none. Nevermind that I lugged that freaking gallon of apple cider home on the train/walk after work. Not getting the huge gallon would just be stupid. Duh.
Well, as you may have guessed it, I have some extra apple cider. It’s just sitting in the fridge, taking up valuable space. Trying to get through this apple cider is like trying to get through the giant container of sour cream you bought for just one night of tacos. Well, enter these pork chops. I’m not a big fruit and meat person, as I’ve told you many a time. I know that people love pork chops with apples, but I am not one of them. But a sauce flavored with apples? Well, that could certainly work.
And work it did. These were flavorful, just slightly sweet, and so easy to make…even if they did only allow me to use up a mere 1/3 cup of the apple cider. And a note about the cider – you will want to use actual apple cider, the natural kind. The ingredients should basically say: apples. And that’s it. You are reducing the cider after all, so you don’t want to reduce (and therefore increase the flavor) of something that is super vinegary or preservativey (that word is patent pending, thank you).
This makes a little extra sauce, but I like putting it over whatever carb we’re having along with the shallots (in this case, whole wheat couscous).
Pork Chops with Apple Cider Pan Sauce
Serves 2
Printer Friendly Recipe
2 lean pork chops (you can use bone in or out)
thyme
sage
salt & pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. butter
1 large shallot, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup natural apple cider
1/3 cup chicken broth
Sprinkle the pork chops with salt, pepper, thyme and sage (fresh or dried is fine) to taste. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and then add the pork chops. Cook until done, about 4 minutes per side depending on the size of the chop and weather it’s bone-in or out. Remove from the skillet.
Add the butter to the pan, and then the shallot. Cook until the shallot is tender and then stir in the garlic. Once the garlic is fragrant, increase the heat slightly and add the apple cider. Scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and then allow the cider to bubble away and reduce by about half.
Add the chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste, and let that reduce until the amount of sauce you have left in the pan is about 1/3 cup total. Spoon the sauce over the pork chops and serve.
We eat pork chops quite often but have never attempted to pan fry them as I always grill them. Maybe I should try them once and find out the difference.
I bet this would be great with turkey cutlets too. But that would require me to buy a jug of cider and find ways to get through it too!
Sounds wonderful! My mother in law just gave me a ton of pork chops for the freezer. This will be a great way to use them up. I think I’ll just buy the half gallon of cider though!:)
If I had room in my freezer your apple cider could go there..it freezes well, but I don’t know for how long. In the meantime pork and apples are a mtach made in heaven!!!
OMG, I always end up throwing out half of that giant sour cream! This sounds like something I would totally to, too. The good news is that the shallot/apple cider combination sounds excellent. The bad news? I don’t really like pork chops! But I think it could be great with pork tenderloin, too. (don’t ask me why I’m so picky about meat, there is no explanation…)
Oh! This pork chop looks delicious with apple cider…can imagine the flavor of it 🙂 What a great combination of flavor!
I’ve seen a few apple cider gravies lately — I’m going to have to try it. But I will buy the smallest vessel possible because I, too, wouldn’t have further use for it. Your pork chops look wonderful.
I am glad you bought the gallon otherwise this delicious recipe would never have happened. Looks so moist and flavorsome!!!
Love, love love cider and pork chops! My husband isn’t a fan of meat-and-fruit either, but he likes this too! A couple of ideas for the rest of that gallon of cider –
You can reduce it to a syrup – it takes up far less space that way! Plus it’s absolutely to-die-for with ice cream. 🙂 (Or, say, in a martini.)
Also, I’ve frozen cider successfully in quart canning jars – just make sure you leave plenty of “head space” – it will expand in the freezer, and you don’t want to break the jar. Thaw it out in, say, July, and it’s just like fresh!
oh yum!! this looks fabulous! great flavor combo!
Ummmm, you’re giving me an idea what to cook tomorrow….
I love the sauce. Very interesting.
I made these last night and they were SO good. I drowned my entire plate (chops, green beans and mashed potatoes) in the sauce, I couldn’t get enough! LOL. Delicious! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
Yay! So glad you liked them!
Great dish Elly! The apple cider pan sauce must go so well with the pork chops. Lovely flavors.
Looks fantastic! This will be how I prepare the chops next time I make them!
Thank you for this. I had no idea what I was going to do with my pork chops tonight, and I’ve always wanted to try a pan sauce. This was my first one, and it was amazing. It even made my husband like apple and pork, lol.
So happy to hear you both liked it, Tanya!
i’m going to make these tonight hope there good 😀