Pork Chops with Red Cabbage and Apples
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
An easy dish for Fall using the season's freshest vegetables
Author:
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • (2) Organic pork bacon slices, diced (I used about 2 generous Tablespoons leftover pieces of thick bacon pieces I bought for a song at the farmer's market)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons canola oil, if needed (see instructions below)
  • (4) thinly sliced organic boneless pork chops (I used bone-in here because that is what was at the market this week. They were thin so they worked fine. Just make sure to take internal temperature along the bone.)
  • (1) small head red cabbage (or two 8 oz. bags of shredded red cabbage)
  • (1) medium onion, peeled and sliced thinly
  • (2) medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
  • ¼ cup apple cider
  • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar, if needed
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Prep the red cabbage by removing outer leaves until you reach leaves that are shiny and firm. Quarter (cut in half and in half again), remove white core and place flat on cutting board. Starting at a point in the cabbage quarter, slice cabbage into thin strips.
  2. Prep the apple by peeling. I core by slicing the apple into four quarters around the core, then slice each quarter into thin slices. (your discarded core will look like a rectangle)
  3. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper
  4. Heat the bacon in a large fry pan with a lid and sauté bacon until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  5. Make sure you have a thin slick of oil at the bottom of your pan from the bacon. Some bacon is very lean so if there are any bare patches in your pan, add canola oil to cover and heat for a minute.
  6. Add pork chops to the hot pan and brown until dark and golden on both sides, remove to a plate. (if thick, they will not likely be cooked through yet. You may want to take internal temperature now. If 160 degrees, they are done.)
  7. Add onions and apples to the pan and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until beginning to soften, about 5 -7 minutes.
  8. Add red cabbage and stir to combine. Cover for a few minutes to allow red cabbage to steam and soften. It should shrink considerably. If using bagged shredded cabbage, skip this step.
  9. Add cider, vinegar and at least 1 Tablespoon brown sugar. The sweetness of apple cider varies widely. Add more sugar or less, as desired. Add bagged cabbage, if using.
  10. Stir to combine and boil rapidly while stirring until liquid reduces to just a puddle in the pan. Just a few minutes over high heat.
  11. Add pork chops back to the pan with any reserved juices that are left on the plate. Smother with the red cabbage and apple mixture then cover over medium low to cook pork until temperature registers 160 degrees (but no longer or pork will be tough). If the chops were 160 when you first removed them from the pan, just heat chops quickly in the pan.
  12. Top with reserved bacon and serve.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 pork chop with ¾ cup red cabbage and apples
Recipe by FamilyandForks at https://www.familyandforks.com/pork-chops-with-red-cabbage-and-apples-for-the-colors-of-fall/