Pork Chops with Apples and Herb Mustard Gravy

Creative recipe name right?  What I wanted to call this recipe was BIG ASS Pork Chops with apples, but what if kids are reading this?  And by kids I mean Master Chef Junior wannabes.  And side note, if you are reading this, and ARE a Master Chef Junior wannabe or former contestant, I am so flattered!

It's apple picking season here in New Jersey.   I look forward to our yearly excursion to pick apples and then reward ourselves with warm apple cider donuts and apple cider.   After all, you do get a ton of steps walking the orchards looking for the apples that make the cut to bring back home.

If you are wondering what happens to the apples that don't make the cut they get thrown.  Carter clearly has a pitching arm.  And apple picking is even more fun now that I have a toddler who loves all things apple picking too.  

Every day Carter used to ask for a "nana" aka banana, but since apple picking this past weekend he wants an apple in the morning and an apple in the evening.  

Considering we bought a gagillion (I'm making gagillion a thing) apples, I oblige his requests.  Plus a little natural fiber can't hurt...  While I love apples too, especially with yogurt dip or cashew butter, I often need a break from eating them in their raw state.  And apples and pork are a tried and true fantastic pair.

Anyone who knows me knows I love pork and sweet and savory combinations are my jam.  My Pork Chops with Apples and Herb Mustard Gravy is both sweet and savory.  This recipe uses apples and apple cider, not apple cider vinegar.  When I hear "apple cider" I automatically think of vinegar so it's important we clarify that now since the two, while fabulous, are not the same.  However, I love apple cider vinegar, and have made this recipe sans apple cider with ingredients most people keep in their cupboard pantry (us small house folk don't have pantries).  If  you don't have apple cider, an alternate sauce base is 2 ounces apple cider vinegar, 2 ounces chicken stock, and 2 teaspoons honey combined.  Feel free to use smaller pork chops and or boneless, but adjust the cooking time accordingly.  While restaurants may tell you that the chef recommends a medium rare pork, I do not like, nor recommend eating pork raw.  Neither does the USDA who make the following recommendation when cooking pork:

Cook all raw pork steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.  (Link to full article here)

Now on to the recipe.  If you try it, let me know how you like it and leave me some love in the comments below.

Pork Chops with Apples and Herb Mustard Gravy

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 bone in pork chops, 1.5-2 inches thick (the thicker the better... am I  right?  You know I am)
• 2 apples, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 8 tablespoons apple cider, divided
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs (I like rosemary and thyme)
• 1/4 teaspoon Wondra flour
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat  oven to 400 degrees
2. Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in oven safe pan over medium-high heat.  Cook pork chops for 5 minutes per side or until browned
4. Once pork chops are browned on both sides add 6 tablespoons of apple cider to pan and immediately place in the oven to finish baking for 10-15 minutes or until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145-160 degrees
5. While pork is baking, melt remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat.  Add apples and remaining 2 tablespoons of apple cider and cook moving apples  around in pan for 5-10 minutes until apples are browned and beginning to soften.  Once cooked, remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper to taste
6. Once pork is cooked remove from pan and allow to rest for 3 minutes
7. While pork rests whisk in mustard and herbs into pork pan drippings until combined.  Whisk in Wondra flour for one minute to thicken sauce
8. Serve pork chops over sautéed apples.  Top with pan dripping gravy

I recommend serving the pork chops with sheet pan roasted potatoes and asparagus (recipe to follow so stay tuned).  In the meantime check out my other potato and asparagus recipes:

Roasted Asparagus
Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

For those of you who didn't notice I will now be providing links to printable versions of my recipes.  Ideally I will  update all my recipes with printable links in the future, but cut a girl some slack while I enjoy the end of my maternity leave with Luke.