A Cozy Weeknight Dinner

I couldn’t tell you exactly why, but pork chops are a quintessentially Autumn food in my mind.  I think it’s because the flavors of pork match so nicely with the flavors of fall, like sweet apples, garlicky shallots, and hearty herbs. Those flavors, but the extra flavor that comes from searing the pork chops in a cast iron skillet and you have yourself a perfectly cozy weeknight dinner.

These types of dishes are my favorite, where you can get a wide variety of flavors in one bite without sweating over a complicated dish.This entree is savory, sweet, herby, and vinegary. It’s such a delight!  To round out a meal, or to make this dish go farther, you can add a range of starches like rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread. A starch, plus a salad to start, and you’ve elevated this into a party-worthy meal!

Tips For Making This Recipe

If you plan on making these pork chops with apples and shallots, here are a few tips to make them extra delicious:

• My favorite way to make pork chops is in a cast iron skillet, as you can get a nice, crisp browning on the exterior while getting them cooked through appropriately in the center. I recommend an enameled cast iron skillet, such as this one from Le Creuset or this one from Staub (affiliate link from Amazon).
• If you want a great sear on your pork chops, there are two main steps to focus on: making sure your pan has preheated and you’ve patted dry the pork chops with a paper towel.  If your pan is too cold when you add the pork chops to the skillet, there won’t be a quick reaction when the chop hits the pan, lessening the chance of a nice crust forming. If the pork chops are a bit damp, they’ll end up steaming more than browning, resulting in a softer outside than desired.
• Don’t be afraid of seasoning the pork chops with salt and pepper.  You’ll get an even better flavor with an even sprinkling of seasoning across the entire cut, than if you only add a small pinch.  If you season your food at the beginning, it will taste seasoned, if you wait until the end it may just taste salty.

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Recipe Details

The beauty of this recipe is that the end result is so impressive, but it only requires one pan and a few minutes of prep work!  To begin, you’ll first do a little bit of prep work with your pork chops.  You’ll preheat a cast iron, or heavy bottomed, skillet over medium high heat until it’s evenly warmed through.  To get the pork chops ready to sear, first pat them dry on each side with a paper towel, making sure to absorb any of the moisture on the outside. Sprinkle salt and pepper on either side of the chops and add the pan with a bit of olive oil. The chops will sear for about 5 minutes on each side, until it’s golden brown around the edges and easily releases from the pan. Set the pork chops aside on a pan, loosely covered in aluminum foil, while you prepare the shallots and apples.

To the same cast iron skillet, you’ll melt butter over medium-low heat and add in thinly sliced shallots with a bit of salt. These will cook until they start to become softened, and then you’ll add in thinly sliced honeycrisp apples with garlic and herbs, letting this cook in the butter until softened and the shallots have started to go jammy. Add the white wine to the pan, letting it come to a simmer and cook down until the alcohol has burned off and the liquid has reduced.

To finish up this recipe, you’ll add the pork chops and any released juices back into the pan, so that they can get coated in the sauce. After a couple minutes, take the pan off the heat and transfer the pork chops to a cutting board. Slice each pork chop into ½ inch strips and arrange on plates. Spoon the apples, shallots, and the pan sauce over each plate. Serve right away and enjoy!

For meal prepping or any leftovers, add the sliced pork chops with apples and shallot into an air-tight container. Refrigerate and consume within 3 days of cooking.

If you like the sound of this recipe, you should also check out these:

• Apple and Almond Stuffed Pork Chops
• Turkey Cheddar and Apple Grilled Cheese
• Autumn Caesar Salad

Be sure to tag @laura.loves.to.cook on Instagram, Tik Tok, or Facebook to let me know how your recipes turn out. I hope you love it as much as I do!

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Skillet Pork Chops with Sauteed Shallot and Apple

Author: Laura Wilkins Cooking Method: Sautéed Cuisine: American Courses: Main Course

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 30 mins Total Time 40 mins

Servings: 2

Best Season: Fall

Dietary:

G Gluten Free N Nut Free

Description

Simple, seared pork chops with sweet shallot and apple in pan sauce make for a stunning dinner. The shallots and apples are sauteed in butter and white wine, with aromatic herbs and garlic, resulting in a jammy, saucy topping for the savory pork chops.

Ingredients

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 2 bone-in pork chops
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 honey crisp apple, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ¹⁄₂ tsp dried sage
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• ¹⁄₂ cup dry white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Prepare and Sear the Pork Chops

1. Preheat a cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed frying pan to medium-high heat.

2. Pat dry each side of the pork chops with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper (about 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper)

3. Add the olive oil to the pan and let it warm up for 30 seconds. Carefully add the pork chops to the pan. Let them cook on the first side, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes, until the pork chop is browned and easily releases from the pan, adjusting the heat on the stove as needed to not overcook the chops.

4. Flip the pork chops to the second side and cook for another 5 minutes, until browned and the pork chop has cooked through.

5. Remove from the pan and set aside on a tray loosely covered with aluminum foil.

Make the Shallot and Apple Pan Sauce

1. Reduce the heat under the pan to medium-low and add the butter. Let the butter melt and then add the sliced shallots with a pinch of salt. Stir to coat the shallots in the melted butter and let cook for about 5 minutes, until the shallots begin to soften.

2. Add the sliced apples, minced garlic, thyme, and sage to the pan and stir to incorporate. Let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples have softened and the shallots are jammy.

3. Carefully pour the white wine into the pan and bring the heat up to medium. Bring to a simmer and let the wine cook down, for about 3-4 minutes.

Finish the Dish and Serve

1. Place the pork chops, and any of its juices, back to the frying pan.  Let the pork cook in the sauce for 2-3 minutes, spooning some of the sauce over the top.

2. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Remove the pork chops from the pan and slice into ½ inch strips.  Arrange on a plate and spoon the jammy shallots, apples, and their sauce over the top of each chop.  Serve right away and enjoy!