Description
A quick and elegant weeknight dinner featuring seared pork chops served with a nutty brown butter sage sauce and sweet caramelized apples. This recipe is kid-approved, budget-friendly, and ready in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 to 6 bone-in, center-cut pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (avocado or canola)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 to 15 fresh sage leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium apples (mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp), sliced
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 cup apple cider or chicken broth
Instructions
- Pat pork chops dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Heat neutral oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Sear pork chops for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 145°F. Remove to a plate and tent with foil.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet and watch closely until it turns deep amber and smells nutty (3-5 minutes).
- Add sage leaves to the brown butter and cook for 30 seconds until crisp. Add sliced apples and honey, stirring to coat. Cook for 3-4 minutes until apples are tender and caramelized.
- Pour in apple cider or chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Return pork chops to the pan, nestling them into the apples and sauce. Spoon sauce over chops and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not overcook the pork chops; aim for an internal temperature of 145°F. Watch the butter closely as it can burn quickly. For best texture, use a mix of tart (Granny Smith) and sweet (Honeycrisp) apples. This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but check labels on cider and broth. Leftovers do not freeze well due to the butter sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pork chop with sau
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 32
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: brown butter, sage pork chops, caramelized apples, easy dinner, weeknight meals, pork chop recipe, fall dinner, gluten-free dinner