# Skillet Pork Chops with Apples

Skillet Pork Chops with Apples — a easy recipe with 5 main ingredients, ready in about 30 min and serving 4. Check which of its ingredients are on sale at grocery stores near you.

- **Time:** 30 min
- **Serves:** 4
- **Difficulty:** easy
- **Tags:** dinner, pork, gluten-free
- **Source:** https://savingrecipes.com/recipes/pork-chops-apples

## Ingredients

- 4 pork chops
- 2 apples
- 1 onion
- 2 tbsp butter
- Fresh thyme
- Salt & pepper _(pantry staple)_
- 2 tbsp olive oil _(pantry staple)_

## Instructions

1. Season chops; sear in oil 4 min per side until 145°F, then rest.
2. In the same pan, melt butter and cook sliced apples and onion until caramelized.
3. Add thyme, return chops to warm through, and serve topped with the apples.

## Tips

- 145°F then rest is the whole recipe. Pork was cooked to 160°F for decades out of caution, which is exactly why it got a reputation for being dry.
- Cook the apples in the pan the chops came out of. The browned bits left behind are most of the flavour in the finished dish.
- Bone-in chops stay juicier than boneless and are often cheaper. Given the choice, take the bone.

## Substitutions

- **Pork chops:** Chicken thighs work with the same method and timing, as do thick-cut pork tenderloin medallions.
- **Apples:** Firm varieties hold their shape — Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Granny Smith. Softer ones collapse into sauce, which is fine if that's what you want. Pears also work.
- **Butter:** Oil works, but butter is what browns the apples properly. A mix of both browns without burning.
- **Fresh thyme:** Sage is the classic partner for pork and apple. Rosemary works but use half as much — it's assertive.

## Storage & reheating

Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of stock; direct high heat pushes already-cooked pork into dry territory. Not recommended for freezing.

## Common questions

### Why are my pork chops always dry?

Almost always overcooking. Use a thermometer, pull at 145°F, rest 5 minutes. Thin chops under ¾ inch are also much harder to get right — buy them thicker.

### Should I brine them?

It helps, and 30 minutes in salted water is enough. Even just salting the surface an hour ahead makes a noticeable difference.

### Do I need to peel the apples?

No. The skin holds the slices together and adds colour. Peel only if you want them to melt into a sauce.


_Photo: Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_sauce_pork_chops1.jpg)_