Braised Pork Chops

By hanley89

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 4 bone-in pork chops (about an inch thick)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
• 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, each cut into 6 wedges
• 1 large red onion, peeled, root end trimmed but left intact, halved through the root, then each half cut into 6 wedges through the root (to help hold them together)
• 2 Gala apples, or Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious varieties, cored and cut into 8 wedges
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup unfiltered (cloudy) apple cider (eyeball it)
• 2 cups chicken stock (eyeball it)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or brown sugar
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 loaf crusty bread, to serve alongside for mopping up sauce

Preparation

Step 1

Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. While the EVOO is heating up, season both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add the chops to the pot and brown on all sides. Remove the chops and reserve, loosely covered with foil.

Add the potatoes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Add the onions to the pan and cook until golden brown, 4-5 minutes.

Add the apples, thyme sprigs, apple cider, chicken stock and maple syrup to the pot and bring up to a bubble.

Nestle the browned pork chops back into the pot, tucking them in amongst the onions and potatoes. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and let simmer until the chops are cooked through and the potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes.

Fish out the thyme stems and discard. Squeeze the juice of the lemon over the pot and give everything a quick stir.

Serve the pork chops topped with the veggies and pan sauce with plenty of crusty bread and a salad alongside.