Cider-Brined Pork Chops with Apples and Onions
By Sharyl SumPublished on October 29, 2024
Time
1½ hours, plus 8 hours brining
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 cups apple cider for brining2 tablespoons table salt for brining1 tablespoon pepper for brining4 ( 6- to 8-ounce) boneless pork loin chop, 1 inch thick¾ teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, divided3 Vidalia onions, halved and sliced thin1 teaspoon table salt ½ teaspoon pepper 2 large apple, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges1 cup apple cider 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Before You Begin
Any variety of sweet apples, such as Gala, Fuji, or Braeburn, will work here. Other sweet onions, such as Maui or Walla Walla, will work in place of the Vidalias. We cook the chops to 130 to 135 degrees; their temperature will rise to 145 degrees as they rest.
Instructions
- Whisk 4 cups cider, 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper in large bowl until salt is dissolved, about 1 minute. Arrange pork chops in single layer in 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Add brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Press chops between double layer of paper towels on large plate and let sit for 10 minutes; discard paper towels, then pat chops dry with clean paper towels. Using kitchen shears, snip layer of fat surrounding each chop in 2 places, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle sugar evenly over 1 side of each chop.
- Heat oil in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place chops in skillet in single layer, sugar side down, and cook until bottoms of chops are well browned, about 2 minutes; transfer chops to large plate, browned side up. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring often, until onions are softened and well browned, 14 to 18 minutes. Push onions to 1 side of skillet. Add apples to now-empty side of skillet and cook, flipping occasionally, until well browned, about 8 minutes; stir onions occasionally. Stir apples into onion mixture until evenly combined. Off heat, add cider.
- Nestle pork chops into onion mixture, browned side up. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until thickest part of each chop registers 130 to 135 degrees, about 9 minutes. Transfer chops to large plate and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Stir sage into onion mixture and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cook until liquid is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons butter into onion mixture until butter is melted and fully incorporated; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide onion mixture evenly among serving plates and top with pork chops. Serve.
Time
1½ hours, plus 8 hours briningYield
Serves 4Ingredients
4 cups apple cider for brining
2 tablespoons table salt for brining
1 tablespoon pepper for brining
4 ( 6- to 8-ounce) boneless pork loin chop, 1 inch thick
¾ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, divided
3 Vidalia onions, halved and sliced thin
1 teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 large apple, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges
1 cup apple cider
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
4 cups apple cider for brining
2 tablespoons table salt for brining
1 tablespoon pepper for brining
4 ( 6- to 8-ounce) boneless pork loin chop, 1 inch thick
¾ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, divided
3 Vidalia onions, halved and sliced thin
1 teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 large apple, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges
1 cup apple cider
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
4 cups apple cider for brining
2 tablespoons table salt for brining
1 tablespoon pepper for brining
4 ( 6- to 8-ounce) boneless pork loin chop, 1 inch thick
¾ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, divided
3 Vidalia onions, halved and sliced thin
1 teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 large apple, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges
1 cup apple cider
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe is adapted from Nathalie Dupree's recipe in her book Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking (2012). Brining in cider (instead of water) seasons the pork, adds subtle sweetness and apple flavor, and helps keep it juicy. To ensure deep browning, we patted the brined chops dry and sprinkled them with a bit of sugar. After searing on just one side (to protect the chops against overcooking and drying out), we removed the not-fully-cooked chops from the pan and sautéed onions and apples in the drippings, which we augmented with butter. We added apple cider and then nestled the chops into the onion-apple mixture browned side up and moved the skillet to a preheated oven so that the chops could finish cooking gently, which helped them retain moisture. When the chops were done, we finished the onions and apples with butter and cider vinegar.
Before You Begin
Any variety of sweet apples, such as Gala, Fuji, or Braeburn, will work here. Other sweet onions, such as Maui or Walla Walla, will work in place of the Vidalias. We cook the chops to 130 to 135 degrees; their temperature will rise to 145 degrees as they rest.
Instructions
- Whisk 4 cups cider, 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper in large bowl until salt is dissolved, about 1 minute. Arrange pork chops in single layer in 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Add brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Press chops between double layer of paper towels on large plate and let sit for 10 minutes; discard paper towels, then pat chops dry with clean paper towels. Using kitchen shears, snip layer of fat surrounding each chop in 2 places, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle sugar evenly over 1 side of each chop.
- Heat oil in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place chops in skillet in single layer, sugar side down, and cook until bottoms of chops are well browned, about 2 minutes; transfer chops to large plate, browned side up. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring often, until onions are softened and well browned, 14 to 18 minutes. Push onions to 1 side of skillet. Add apples to now-empty side of skillet and cook, flipping occasionally, until well browned, about 8 minutes; stir onions occasionally. Stir apples into onion mixture until evenly combined. Off heat, add cider.
- Nestle pork chops into onion mixture, browned side up. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until thickest part of each chop registers 130 to 135 degrees, about 9 minutes. Transfer chops to large plate and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Stir sage into onion mixture and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cook until liquid is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons butter into onion mixture until butter is melted and fully incorporated; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide onion mixture evenly among serving plates and top with pork chops. Serve.
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