Thick pork chops brined in spiced apple cider, seared golden and served with butter-caramelized apples and a glossy cider and shallot pan sauce.
Before you start: start the brine 2 to 4 hours before dinner. Thinner chops (about 3/4 inch) need only 30 to 60 minutes in the brine and 3 to 4 minutes per side in the pan.
Using Morton kosher salt or table salt? Use 2 tbsp instead of 1/4 cup; it's much saltier by volume. Boneless chops work too; they cook a few minutes faster, so start checking the temperature early.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 2 cups water (half hot, half cold)
- ¼ cup kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; use half as much Morton)
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar (divided)
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs (divided)
- 3 cups apple cider (divided)
- 4 bone-in pork chops (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
- 3 firm apples, such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith (peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges each)
- 2 shallots (minced)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 2 cups water (half hot, half cold)
- ¼ cup kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; use half as much Morton)
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar (divided)
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs (divided)
- 3 cups apple cider (divided)
- 4 bone-in pork chops (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
- 3 firm apples, such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith (peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges each)
- 2 shallots (minced)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
Instructions
Make the brine
In a small saucepan, heat water (1 cup) with kosher salt (¼ cup), brown sugar (2 tbsp), peppercorns (1 tbsp), bay leaves and thyme sprigs, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve, about 3 minutes.
Pour into the container and stir in cold water (1 cup) and cold apple cider (2 cups). The brine should feel cool to the touch.
Equipment: small saucepan, large container or zip-top bag
Brine the chops
Submerge pork chops in the brine, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Don't go past 6 hours.
Equipment: large container or zip-top bag
Dry and season
Lift the chops out of the brine, discard the brine and pat the chops very dry with paper towels.
Season both sides with black pepper (½ tsp). No salt; the brine took care of it.
Sear the chops
Heat vegetable oil (2 tbsp) in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chops and sear without moving until deep golden, about 4 minutes.
Flip and sear the second side until golden, about 4 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium and keep cooking, flipping every couple of minutes, until the thickest part reads 145°F away from the bone. Move to a plate, tent with foil and rest at least 5 minutes. Keep the skillet for the sauce.
Equipment: large skillet, instant-read thermometer
Caramelize the apples
While the pork sears, melt butter (2 tbsp) in a second skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple wedges in a single layer and sprinkle with brown sugar (1 tbsp). Cook without stirring until golden underneath, about 3 minutes.
Turn the wedges and cook until golden and just tender, about 3 minutes. Keep warm off the heat.
Equipment: second skillet
Make the pan sauce
Pour off all but a thin film of fat from the pork skillet. Over medium heat, add minced shallots and cook until soft, about 1 minute.
Stir in Dijon mustard (1 tbsp) and cider vinegar (1 tbsp), then slowly pour in apple cider (1 cup) and chicken stock (½ cup), scraping up the browned bits. Add thyme sprigs.
Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer until reduced by half and lightly syrupy, about 6 minutes.
Off the heat, pull out the thyme, swirl in butter (2 tbsp) and add any juices from the resting pork. Taste; it rarely needs salt.
Equipment: large skillet
Serve
Set a chop on each plate, pile the caramelized apples alongside and spoon the pan sauce over both.
Tomorrow's Meal
Pork, Apple & Cheddar Melts
Thin-sliced leftover pork chop and caramelized apples layered with sharp cheddar on sourdough and griddled in butter until melty.
You'll need to pick up:
4 slices sourdough4 slices sharp cheddar1 tbsp butter1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Quick overview:
- 1.Slice the leftover pork thin, away from the bone
- 2.Spread the bread with mustard and layer cheddar, pork and any leftover apples between the slices
- 3.Butter the outsides and cook in a skillet over medium-low heat 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until golden and the cheese melts
- 4.Warm any leftover sauce in the pan for dipping
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Before you start: start the brine 2 to 4 hours before dinner.
- • Using Morton kosher salt or table salt? Use 2 tbsp instead of 1/4 cup; it's much saltier by volume.
- • Thinner chops (about 3/4 inch) need only 30 to 60 minutes in the brine and 3 to 4 minutes per side in the pan.
- • Boneless chops work too; they cook a few minutes faster, so start checking the temperature early.
- • Short on time? Skip the brine and season the chops with 1 tsp kosher salt per side 45 minutes before cooking.
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