Recipes Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes Pork Chops With Apples and Onions 3.5 (881) 25 Reviews This cozy fall dinner is sure to be a favorite with your family. By Lucinda Scala Quinn Updated on July 11, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Servings: 6 This one-pot dinner is sure to be a hit with your family, and you'll like how simple it is to make. You can use loin or shoulder pork chops, which are then browned in a large cast-iron skillet. Then you take the chops out and add butter to sauté the onions and apples in the same pan. Add your choice of braising liquid (apple cider, beer, wine, or water), and return the chops to the pan. Then everything simmers together for just 15 minutes more, and this cozy fall dinner is ready. Brie Goldman 20 Pork Chop Dinner Ideas That Will Help You Switch Up Your Weekly Dinner Rotation Key Ingredients Pork Chops This recipe is flexible: you can use bone-in loin or shoulder pork chops. We prefer to use bone-in chops because the meat stays juicier and has a richer flavor. It's also less likely to dry out than quicker cooking boneless chops. You can substitute boneless pork chops but you should watch them carefully and reduce the cook time for both the initial browning and the final cooking to make sure they do not dry out. Apples For this pork with apples dish, use an apple that holds its shape rather than one that disintegrates, and one that has a balance of tart and sweet flavors. Try Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp. Beer, White Wine, Cider, or Chicken broth Did we mention this is a versatile recipe? You can use any of these liquids in this dish. The liquid you choose will impact the flavor of the dish. It will be more apple-forward with cider, richer with chicken broth, and beer will give it a deeper Oktoberfest feel. You can even use water to deglaze the pan, but it won't add flavor like the other options. Ingredients 6 bone-in pork chops (loin or shoulder), cut ¾ inch thick Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large white onion, sliced 2 to 3 apples, cored and sliced (about 3 cups) 1 cup beer, white wine, cider, or chicken broth Directions Brie Goldman Trim excess fat and season chops: Trim the chops of excess fat. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Brie Goldman If you don’t have a 14-inch cast-iron skillet, cook the chops in batches in a smaller skillet. Do not crowd the meat in the pan as it will steam rather than brown. Sear chops: Heat a 14-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat, and then swirl in the olive oil. Lay in the pork chops and don't move them for a few minutes, to assure a good golden sear forms. Brie Goldman Turn and brown on other side: Turn and brown well on the second side for a total of about 10 minutes. Transfer the chops to a warm plate. Brie Goldman Add butter, then onion and apples and cook: Swirl the butter into the pan. Add the onion and apples. Saute until the onion slices are lightly caramelized and the apples have begun to soften, about 8 minutes. Brie Goldman Add beer: Stir in the beer or other liquid. Brie Goldman Return chops to pan: Return pork chops to the pan. Brie Goldman Cook until pork is tender: Cook until the pork is tender, about 15 more minutes (depending on the size of the chops), turning halfway through and covering the chops with the apple mixture. If the apple mixture needs a little thickening, transfer the chops to the warm plate again and simmer the mixture on high for a few minutes to reduce. Brie Goldman Serve: Serve the chops over rice or mashed potatoes with a large spoonful of the apple-onion mixture over the top. Brie Goldman Storing, Reheating, and Freezing If you have any leftover pork chops with apples and onions, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Brie Goldman Reheating Reheat them gently so they don't dry out: We recommend covering the dish with the pork chop and apples in with foil and baking in a 300 degree Fahrenheit oven or reheating in a skillet over low heat. Add a splash of apple cider or a little butter if the dish looks dry. Freezing To freeze the leftover pork chops, make sure they have cooled completely and portion into freezer bags, making sure to squeeze out as much air as possible. Thaw in the refrigerator, and reheat gently in the oven or on the stovetop, as described above. Frequently Asked Questions Should you rinse pork chops before cooking? No! The USDA says it is not necessary to wash meat and poultry before cooking them. Pork chops and other meats and poultry are cleaned during processing so washing them at home is not required. USDA research found that washing or rinsing meat or poultry increases the risk for cross-contamination in the kitchen, which can cause foodborne illness. How do you know when pork chops are cooked enough? Pork chops may still appear pink (not raw but pink) when they are cooked so using a meat thermometer is the most efficient way to know if the meat is done. We recommend cooking pork to 138-140 degrees as the temperature will rise slightly after the meat is off the stove. The USDA recommends 145 degrees. 5 More Pork Chop Recipes to Try: Pork Chops with Pineapple-Cilantro Rice Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops with Tomatoes Pork Chops with Bacon and Cabbage Broiled Pork Chops With Yellow-Pepper Puttanesca Vinegared Pork Chop Milanese Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, December 2009 Rate It PRINT Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the Martha Stewart recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years.