Pork Chops Smothered in Sautéed Apples, Onions, and a Rosemary Mustard Sauce

Timeless recipes are just that, timeless! These Pork Chops Smothered in Sautéed Apples, Onions, and a Rosemary Mustard Sauce are great any time of the year and pack so much flavor! Apples and onions come together to make a sweet and tart topping and are paired with pork chops that have been brined creating juicy flavor packed bites.

Brining is a process that actually hydrates the cells of the meat, creating a really juicy and tender cut of meat for any recipe. It is a super quick step and is what makes this brined pork chops recipe so great! Lean cuts like pork chops actually take very little time for the brine to make a difference. Brine the pork chops for an hour and you are good to go!

Pork Chop Brine

• 4 cups water (divide in half)
• 4 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1.5 tablespoons sugar
• Pork chops
• Black peppercorns (or cracked back pepper)
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig and thyme (whatever you have on hand)
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

1. Pour 2 cups of water, salt, sugar, bay leaf and one sprig of rosemary into a small pot and heat over high heat on the stove.
2. Bring the solution to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
3. Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner as soon as bubbles appear, we just need the water nice and hot, not boiling.
4. Pour in the remaining 2 cups of water and allow the brining solution to cool to room temperature in the pot. This is important, we don’t want to pour hot liquid over the pork chops or it will cook the meat!
5. Place the pork chops in a glass dish, or ziplock bag, and then pour the cooled brine over the meat. Place the pork in the refrigerator and allow to brine for an hour to an hour and a half.
6. Remove the pork chops from the brine, rinse with cold water and then pat dry with paper towels.

Here are 6 more brine recipes in addition to this one if you are feeling adventurous!

To begin the Pork Chops Smothered in Sautéed Apples, Onions, and a Rosemary Mustard Sauce find a large cast iron skillet (or frying pan) and place 2 tbsp. oil and 1 tbs butter into the pan. Heat on medium high heat until the butter is melted. Pat dry the porkchops and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Cook in the skillet 3-5 minutes on both sides until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. *Timing may vary depending on thickness. Remove pork chops and place aside.

To make the delicious apple and onions, place the remaining oil and butter into the same pan the pork chops were cooked in, we want to keep all the delicious flavor that is leftover from the pork chops. Sautee the apples and onions for 5 minutes or until they are soft, season with salt and pepper. Add in the chicken stock, mustard, thyme, and rosemary and cook down until the sauce becomes thick and incorporated.

I paired the Pork Chops Smothered in Sautéed Apples, Onions, and a Rosemary Mustard Sauce with a Couscous with Butternut Squash, Roasted Peppers, and Feta cheese side dish! The flavors pair so nicely with one another and when served together make a complete meal. Definitely one for your next meal prep line up!

If you enjoyed this recipe, I’m sure these others will tickle your fancy:

• Lemon Herb Pan Fried Chicken 
• Lemon Fennel Sheet Pan Chicken with Roasted Garlic
• Italian Sausage, Squash, and Pasta Toss
• Pork Tenderloin with Rosemary Cranberry Balsamic Sauce
• Shepherds Pie 

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