These apple pork chops are browned in butter, then simmered in the most delicious cider sauce with fresh apples and sage.
These chops are the ultimate fall dinner that’s quick to make and always gets rave reviews!
We eat a lot of chicken, but sometimes I buy some pork chops to mix things up a bit. These apple pork chops only have 6 ingredients but are huge on flavor. This recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight but elegant enough to serve to guests, and the flavors just scream fall! Pork chops with apples is a classic flavor combination, and the addition of apple cider here really makes this dish special.
Along with these pork chops, I also like to make some of my other favorite pork recipes like grilled pork tenderloin, crock pot pork roast and smoked pulled pork. If you want to see some other fall favorites, check out this list of fantastic fall recipes!
apple pork chop Ingredients
The ingredients list is very short for these apple pork chops. You want the highest quality that you can find. You can use your favorite type of apple here. These photos show red delicious apples simply because the color is so pretty, but most types of apples will work. You can use bone-in or boneless pork chops. I do think that bone-in chops have more flavor and they’re less prone to getting dry. Fresh sage is absolutely essential here, the dried stuff won’t do. If you don’t have sage on hand, fresh thyme or rosemary are nice substitutes. I use an unfiltered apple cider that’s full of spices and aromatics. If you use the clear apple cider that looks just like apple juice and doesn’t have any spices like cinnamon on the ingredient list, your end result won’t be quite as delicious.
How to make apple pork chops
A mixture of pan drippings, apple cider and Dijon mustard form the base for this sauce. This sauce tends to be on the thinner side. If you’d like it to be a little thicker, you can reduce it by half on the stovetop. That being said, I like a lot of sauce to go around so I keep it as is. These apple pork chops are great served over egg noodles, rice or garlic mashed potatoes Try a green veggie on the side like roasted green beans or bacon wrapped asparagus. This dish will be on regular rotation at my house all through the cold weather months!
More fall favorites
- Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs
- Brown Sugar Delicata Squash
- Butternut Squash Pasta with Chicken
- Cider Glazed Chicken
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Apple Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter divided use
- 4 bone in pork chops approximately 5-6 ounces each
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons apple cider divided use
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
- 3 apples cored and thinly sliced
- salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large skillet melt 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper; cook for 6 minutes on each side or until deep golden brown.
- Add 1/2 cup of cider to the pan and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes. The bake time depends on the thickness of your chops and your desired level of doneness. I like my pork medium well and bake it for 10 minutes, if you prefer well done, bake for 15 minutes.
- While the pork is in the oven, In another skillet, cook the apples in the remaining butter over medium-high for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of apple cider, turn the heat to high and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Season the apples with salt to taste.
- After the pan comes out of the oven transfer the pork to a plate. Whisk the mustard and sage into the cider drippings; season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the apples on the plate with the pork and pour the sauce over the top. Serve.
I don’t have apple cider, what can I substitute instead?
Apple juice will also work!