Pork Chops Braised with Apples and Onion
Thick pork chops browned until golden, then simmered with sweet apple wedges and soft onion until the sauce turns glossy and the pork is tender. A comforting one-pan dinner that stays juicy.
- Total
- 60 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 40 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Braising
- Savory
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Pat the 4 pork chops dry with paper towels and season both sides with 3/4 tsp of the salt and the black pepper. Peel the onion and cut it into 1 cm slices. Core the apples and cut them into 2 cm wedges, leaving the skin on.
~10 min
Drying the meat promotes faster browning, and seasoning ahead lets salt penetrate the pork for better flavor.
-
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay in the pork chops in a single layer and sear without moving them for 3 minutes, until deep golden underneath. Turn and sear 3 minutes more, then transfer the chops to a plate.
~6 min
Searing in a hot pan triggers Maillard browning, building deep flavor and a fond that enriches the sauce.
Searing Get the pan hot enough that the chops sizzle on contact, and don't move them until they release easily; crowding or flipping too soon steams the meat instead of browning it.
-
Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion slices to the pan and cook for 6 minutes, stirring, until softened and lightly golden. Add the apple wedges and cook 3 minutes more, until they begin to color at the edges.
~9 min
Cooking onion first softens it before the apples, which need less time and would otherwise turn to mush.
-
Pour in 250 ml water and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a gentle simmer, then nestle the pork chops back in among the apples and onion, along with any juices on the plate.
~4 min
Adding water and scraping dissolves the browned fond into the sauce, adding flavor and preventing burning.
Braising Keep the liquid at a bare simmer, not a boil, and cover so the chops cook gently; a hard boil toughens the meat and shreds the apples.
-
Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, turning the chops once halfway, until the pork reaches 63°C in the thickest part and the apples are tender but still hold their shape. If the sauce looks thin, uncover and simmer 3 minutes more to reduce it slightly.
~18 min
Gentle covered simmering braises the chops, keeping them moist while the apples soften without breaking apart.
Pork chops dry out fast once they pass 63°C, so pull them the moment the thermometer reads it; the 5-minute rest finishes the job without overcooking.
Braising Keep the liquid at a bare simmer, not a boil, and cover so the chops cook gently; a hard boil toughens the meat and shreds the apples.
-
Taste the sauce and stir in the remaining 1/4 tsp salt if needed. Take the pan off the heat and let the chops rest in the sauce for 5 minutes before serving, so the juices settle.
~5 min
Resting off heat lets juices redistribute so they stay in the meat instead of running out when cut.