Have you ever had a recipe in your to-be-tried pile for years and finally get around to it and wonder, “Why the heck didn’t we eat this sooner?” This recipe has been gathering dust in my house and I decided to finally shake the dust off and try a new pork chop dish for a new weeknight meal.
The skeptics in my house were not impressed with my enthusiasm of pairing apples with pork chops and it took a lot of coaxing to take them over to the dark side of this deliciously sweet pork combination. Before the end of the dinner though, I had sold everyone on the idea of pairing these ingredients and decided that this would be a great meal to add to our rotation.
It is a satisfyingly sweet and savory dish that pairs ingredients that I typically have around our house. The brown sugar and cinnamon sauce adds a delicious glaze to this perfectly cooked pork. Baking the pork helps it to achieve the perfect temperature and my husband couldn’t believe how tender these chops were.
The best part for me about this dish though is the timing of other dishes and being able to cook an entire meal at the same temperature. Paired with my roasted green beans and a side of baked brown rice, dinner was all baking along together and I was enjoy a magazine reading before the dinner chaos. I love when everything can bake at the same time so I don’t have to stand over the stove!
Simply Delicious Apple Pork Chops (Adapted from Recipezaar)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 pork chops (1/2-inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper
2 apples, peeled cored, and sliced (I used Granny Smith apples)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup apple juice
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in large skillet. Brown the pork chops on both sides in oil. Place chops in a baking dish just large enough so they do not overlap and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, apple juice, and and apples. Give them a toss together. Pour the mixture over the chops.
Pour over the chops. Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes. (My chops took about 35 minutes, but it will depend on the thickness of the chops).
Those look great!!
I used to kind of forget about pork. I grew up on a ranch, where it was just assumed that you were going to eat beef 3 times a day.
Now, to make it easier on my to menu plan/cook/shop, I use a rotating schedule:
Monday- Beef
Tuesday- No Meat Night
Wednesday- Pork/Seafood
Thursday- Chicken
Friday- Platter Night (cheese, crackers, fruit, finger foods, etc.)
Saturday- Kids Pick (Usually involves McDonald’s. Whatever!)
Sunday- Chicken
I’m sticking this recipe in my stash for a Wednesday pork night! Thanks, Amy!
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Becky Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 9:39 pm
What a great idea. That would make menu planning much easier. I might just try this!
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To make it easier on me*, I meant. I shouldn’t be typing while helping my 2 yr old build block towers.
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You’re right that it is crazy that your family had to be convinced to eat pork and apples together. IMHO, that is one of the best combinations ever! It makes for particularly great meals in the fall, when the apples are so fresh. You could also serve it with some of the applesauce you’ve preserved.
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Amy Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 7:49 pm
TopazTook- You caught me- this was actually made in the fall and I am just getting around to posting it. Our kitchen has been under renovation so I had to pull some older recipes that hadn’t been posted for today
It is the perfect fall dish and I can’t wait to enjoy it again next fall!
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I’ve always served applesauce with pork chops (or any kind of pork), but never actually apple slices. Sounds yummy!
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My mother always served homemade applesauce with pork and I loved it. Never have gone with apple slices though. Honestly, I don’t know that I want to either.
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My mother always served homemade applesauce with pork. Loved it. Never have gone with the whole fruit though; not sure I want to either…call me nostalgic.
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Amy Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Nancy- I have never had the pork chops with homemade applesauce before. That being said, this was really, really good. We have such similar taste, I bet your family would really like it
I totally get the nostalgia thing though 
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I love, love, love your menu planning idea, Andria! I hope that the pork chops are a fun addition to your fantastic menu plans. Thank you so much for your comments today!
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Thanks Amy for the great recipe! I can’t wait to try it.
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This is great! I’ve been using a very similiar recipe, only it involved a skillet/grill, and I’d much rather go your oven route. I’m using this the next time I do this recipe again. It IS yummy together! And the kids think they are getting a special treat too.
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Amy Reply:
March 2nd, 2010 at 9:19 am
Oh good! I am so glad that this recipe will help. I think baking it in the oven makes the entire process so much easier
I hope you guys like it!!
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I *really* want to make these tonight and have everything but the apple juice. Do you think I can use water or broth? I’m sure they won’t be as sweet or flavorful, but I can’t run to the store as it’s almost nap time and we have a contractor coming to do some work this afternoon.
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Amy Reply:
September 13th, 2010 at 11:41 am
Vicky- I would just use chicken broth, if you have some on hand. I think it will still work beautifully! Let me know what you guys think!
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Vicky Reply:
September 13th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Thanks, Amy!!
I’m also making the brown rice – can’t wait!
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I have to try this for my parents. I do not eat pork, but this would probably be great for them.
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Applesauce and pork chops go hand in hand, sounds yummy! Can’t wait to try
the recipe.
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Thanks for the great idea all six children I’m sure will enjoy the chops and muffins.
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My husband loved this. Soo good. It’s a definite keeper. I cut the apples in big slices so they wouldn’t be mushy.
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Thanks for sharing this recipe! My family loved it. I am making it for my mil on Tuesday night for her birthday supper…it made the house smell like fall while it was cooking.
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Amy Reply:
October 3rd, 2011 at 12:25 pm
I am so glad that this recipe was a hit, Pam! I agree, that really does smell like Fall and is such a great way to use up any neglected apples in the fruit basket!
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