Description
This recipe from Stacie’s first cookbook, Make It Easy, may have just a handful of ingredients, but they carefully balance sweet and tangy, savory and bright. It’s that tension that makes this so irresistibly delicious. If you make this enough times, you’ll be able to improvise this pan sauce when cooking more affordable chicken cutlets too. Also, while apples are great all year around, try subbing peaches in during the summer.
Ingredients
4 (1-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops (about ¾ lb each)
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to season the chops
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to season the chops
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup white wine, apple cider, or chicken or vegetable broth
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
4 medium-size apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Instructions
- Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator and, ideally, allow them to sit at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes. Pat them dry on both sides with paper towels. Season very generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops, being careful not to overcrowd them; you may need to work in batches. Cook, untouched, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook for another 3 minutes, untouched, on the other side. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and allow them to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Leave the pan over medium-high heat and add the wine to the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter, syrup, apples, and the ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the apples are tender, about 7 minutes.
- Uncover and add the cider vinegar to the sauce; swirl to incorporate. Return the chops to the pan, and cook for 1 more minute, spooning the sauce over the meat. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes