Pork Chops With Apples And Brandy Food

PAN-SEARED PORK CHOPS WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES

Steps:

• Pat dry pork chops with paper towels.
• Brush pork chops with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
• Allow the pork chops to rest while you prepare the apples as follows below. This brings pork chops closer to room temperature which will help them sear better.
• I used 2 apples (1 red Gala apple and 1 green Granny Smith apple, for presentation purposes). Core the apples and slice each one length-wise.
• Place sliced apples into a large bowl, add brown sugar, cinnamon, and mix. Let apples sit for about 10 minutes to release juices.
• In a large pan (I used a large stainless steel skillet), heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil on high heat. Add sliced apples (without juice at the bottom of the pan) and cook on high heat for about 3 minutes on one side, checking periodically. After 3 or 5 minutes, flip sliced apples to the other side, reduce heat to medium and cook the apples for another 3 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Cook the apples in a single layer, without overcrowding to get a slightly "roasted" appearance. That means you might have to cook apples in 2 batches. Use the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter for the second batch.
• Depending on how hot your stove gets, it might take you less or more time to cook apples, the key is to brown them or even get a slightly "burned" effect. But don't overdo it, remove the cooked apples from the skillet once the apples have this "roasted" appearance.
• Right after you remove the pan with roasted sliced apples from the heat, immediately add honey to the hot skillet - it will make apples sizzle and will caramelize them beautifully, off the heat.
• For best searing results, use a cast-iron skillet. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes to heat it through.
• Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil - the oil should shimmer. Add the pork chops, and cook them on one side for 5 minutes, without moving.
• Reduce the heat to medium, flip the pork chops over to the other side, and cook them on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Cook longer (depending on the thickness of your pork chops) until the pork chops are cooked through.
• Spoon the cooked apples, together with the sauce from cooking the apples, over the pork chops. Top with fresh thyme.

PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp and light golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta and drain on paper towels.
• Melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the apples and sprinkle with the sugar and cook until tender and deep golden brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Transfer the apples and any juices from skillet to a small bowl.
• Sprinkle the pork chops with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 3/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Add the pork chops and 2 teaspoons of the oil into the same skillet and brown for 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a plate and cover to keep warm.
• Add the remaining teaspoon of oil, cream, brandy, apple juice, thyme and onions to the same skillet and bring to a simmer. Return the apples and pork chops back into the pan and simmer until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Season the sauce with the remaining salt and pepper.
• Garnish with the reserved pancetta bits.

APPLE BRANDY PORK CHOPS WITH RAISINS

Steps:

• Sprinkle salt, pepper and thyme on both sides of the pork chops. In a heavy skillet melt butter and brown pork chops on both sides about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove pork and set aside.
• Add shallots to the skillet and saute until they begin to brown. Whisk in sour cream and brandy. Add raisins. Add pork back to the skillet. Allow the sauce to reduce to about half. Serve pork spooning sauce over it.

PORK CHOPS WITH APPLE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a shallow pan, pour marinade over pork chops and marinate for 1 hour.
• Remove the meat from the marinade and drain off the excess. In a skillet over high heat, pan-sear the pork chops on both sides in butter and oil to seal in juices. Sprinkle with a handful of fresh chopped parsley and thyme; season with salt and pepper. They should be well browned on the outside and pink in the center. Transfer the pork chops to a roasting pan, place in a single layer and set aside.
• In the same skillet, saute apples in a bit more butter and oil, add more parsley and thyme. Deglaze the pan with brandy. Pour in brown sauce and cider vinegar to create a pan sauce. Spoon the apple sauce over the pork chops. Sprinkle with more chopped herbs and salt and pepper.
• Roast in a preheated 325 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. A meat thermometer inserted into the pork should read 155 degrees F.

PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND CIDER

Steps:

• Make the spice salt: Put peppercorns, cloves, allspice and sage in a spice mill or mortar and grind to a powder. Remove to a bowl and stir in salt. Season pork chops on both sides with salt mixture. (There will be some salt mixture remaining; use it to season the sauce, Step 4.) Cover and leave chops at room temperature to absorb seasonings for at least 30 minutes.
• Peel, quarter and core apples, then cut each apple into 12 wedges. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a wide skillet and raise heat to medium-high. Add apple wedges in one layer and brown gently on one side, about 2 minutes. Brown on the other side and cook for 2 minutes more, or until apples are cooked through but still firm. Remove apples from pan and keep warm.
• Add 1 tablespoon butter to pan and swirl to melt. Dust pork chops with flour, and place in pan and brown gently for about 4 minutes per side. Adjust heat if necessary to keep pork from cooking too quickly. Remove chops and keep warm on a platter in a low oven. Discard remaining butter.
• Add ½ cup cider to pan, raise heat to high and cook down to a syrup. Add mustard and chicken broth, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add potato starch and stir with a wire whisk as the sauce thickens. Stir in crème fraîche. Season to taste with remaining spiced salt. Add 2 tablespoons cider and the Calvados, if using. Cook for 1 minute more.
• Spoon sauce over the chops, then spoon the apples around the platter. Sprinkle with chives and parsley.

SMOKED PORK CHOPS WITH SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a large skillet, cook chops in oil over medium heat 2-3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned; drain. , Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with sweet potatoes. Combine brown sugar and pepper; sprinkle over sweet potatoes. Top with apples; drizzle with apple juice. , Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until meat is tender.

PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown pork chops in oil on each side. Season with salt and pepper; remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute onions and apple wedges until crisp-tender. , Combine mustard and brown sugar; brush over chops. Return to the skillet; cook for 4 minutes or until meat juices run clear.