I found a different way to use all the apples we picked the other week – apple chutney! I love the sweet/tart flavours of apples with pork and this chutney has a bit of added heat to it that makes this simple meal stand out. If you make the chutney ahead of time this could easily turn into a fast weekday dinner. The chutney warms up very well and would work nicely with a variety of pork cuts. I used this Martha Stewart recipe as guidance and added/subtracted ingredients based on what I had in my pantry. I also used a thinner cut of pork chops, so my cooking time was significantly reduced.
The kids ate the pork, but didn’t touch the chutney – however, I’m sure some of the flavours transferred to the meat while it sat on the platter. If you’re looking for a fast and tasty fall meal, this will serve you well.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
- 6 small boneless center-cut pork chops
- 1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 4 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of pork chops; add to skillet. Saute until golden brown, about 3 minutes; flip. Cook 3 minutes more.Cook until meat is cooked through and registers 155 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a platter. If you are using thick chops, you might want to cook them a little extra time in a hot oven.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat; add onion. Saute over medium heat until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add apples; saute 4 minutes more. Add vinegar, cranberries, ginger, mustard, and cayenne. Stir well to combine; cover. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until apples are very tender but hold their shape, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and serve over pork chops.
