Thursday, September 15, 2011

Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Glazed Apples

It's cookbook club tonight and we are all about APPLES!!!  Everything we made tonight had apples in it - so we made up these pork chops and these were yummy :)  The sauce was heaven - and the apples were cooked perfectly!!!  (good work ladies!)  It tasted a little bit like applesauce...ahhh  It was really easy to make too!!  Do it up :)

Serves 4 - Bride and Groom Cookbook

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
4 thin-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1 tablespoon bacon grease, plus more if needed
2 small red apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine the brown sugar, salt, and rosemary in a small bowl and stir together.  Coat the pork chops on both sides with the mixture, gently massaging the meat with your fingers to jump start the curing process.  Let stand for 15 minutes.  Rinse the chops and pat dry with paper towels.  Season the chops on both sides with pepper to taste.

Melt the 1 tablespoon bacon grease in a large heavy skillet over high heat, add the pork chops, and cook until crispy brown, about 2 minutes each side.

Transfer the pork chops to a plate and cover with foil.  Add the apples to the skillet and cook, stirring gently to brown slightly, about 30 seconds, adding a bit more bacon grease if the pan is dry.  Add the stock, jam, brandy, and cinnamon - stir well.  Cook until the sauce thickens and is rich brown in color, about 10 minutes.  (Don't cook sauce too much, but if you do - add more stock).

Uncover the pork chops and top with the glazed apples.

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