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Dishes with an autumnal twist always seem coziest, don’t they? That’s just what we have in store for you here – a cozy and comforting skillet recipe that brings you tender, savory pork chops in a creamy pan sauce that’s flavored with brandy, maple, and sweet apples. I know that sounds pretty good but I can promise you that it tastes even better, and coming in at just over thirty minutes to prepare, it’s a dish you can fit in on even your busiest weeknight.
When it comes to finding a protein option for dinner, it’s so easy to rely on the same few options over and over again, or at least I seem to fall into that habit! This is the perfect thing to break you out of that rut, though. It’s not any more difficult than baking up a chicken breast or searing a steak, but it’s a little more unexpected thanks to that delicious sauce. (It’s one of those you’ll be wanting to spoon over everything, and it tastes great with chicken too – you don’t need to stop with pork chops.)
To make this, you just dredge some pork chops lightly in flour and brown them in a hot skillet. They’ll cook through in about three minutes per side, at which point you can set them aside while you start to build up all that fall flavor. Apples, shallot, and garlic hop in to hang out in some butter before Dijon mustard, brandy, and maple syrup join the party. Heavy cream brings it all together and all that’s left to do is nestle the pork chops back in to warm back up.
The sauce is a little sweet, a little sharp (thanks to the Dijon and the brandy), and basically tastes like a warm hug. It’s a cozy dish, a delicious dish, and luckily it’s a super simple one to boot!
Apple Maple Pork Chops
Yield(s): Serves 4
10m prep time
25m cook time
Allergens: Milk
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork chops
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 crisp apples such as pink lady, fuji, or honeycrisp
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup (the real stuff)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Pat pork chops dry and season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge pork chops, shaking off excess.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add pork chops and cook until brown, about 3 minutes per side and cooked through. Internal temperature should read 145°F. Remove to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
- Lower heat to medium and add butter to pan. Once melted, add shallot, apples, and garlic. Cook briefly, just 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in Dijon mustard, then slowly pour in maple syrup, followed by the brandy. Let liquid reduce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and stir to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until sauce has thickened, about 5 more minutes.
- Reduce heat, adjust seasoning as needed, and nestle pork chops back in skillet to bring back up to temperature. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Delicious Little Bites.