Maple pork chops with apples and onions

We had a package of pork chops in our fridge and no plans for them. So we browsed around internet recipes a little, announced, "Screw it! We're just gonna throw stuff together" and then started tossing ingredients into a skillet.

What we ended up with was maple pork chops with apples and onions. And it turned out well. So well, in fact, we made it two nights in a row. The apples, onions and maple complemented each other nicely and made a bland pork chop taste a little like opera would if it had a flavor.

Rating: 1/2 assed (simple, but not ridiculously so)

Here's what you need and how you do it

2-4 pork chops (we used bone out)

1 medium onion, sliced

1 apple, sliced (Granny Smith or Braeburn, something a little sour, would work well)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 cup red wine

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch red pepper flakes (to temper the sweetness of the maple syrup)

In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onions, apples and pork chops. Cook until each side of the chop is seared. Add remaining ingredients and continue to cook, covered, until all are heated through and pork chop is no longer pink inside.

The key is to not let one flavor overpower the others. If the maple is a little too pronounced, add more onion and some extra red pepper flakes. If the burn is too strong, add in a little more syrup (but not too much, or this will turn into breakfast).

Serve with roasted potatoes and green beans. Or whatever.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Comments

[Sam@BingeNYC]

Yow, this looks insane delicious.

[Bethany]

That looks heavenly!

[mrs. g.]

Drooling...

[Nancy C.]

I would recommend using a meat thermometer and cooking to an internal temp of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooking pork chops until they're white all the way through is overkill. Would you cook a steak until it is brown all the way through?

[Half Assed Kitchen]

Nancy C., meat thermometers are often a good idea, but I find that, more often than not, when I use them, I end up overcooking the meat. I cooked these pork chops until white all the way through and they were super moist.

[Kerry]

I'm gonna try this. I started sauteeing pork loin in maple syrup and it's sooo good. You could eat the leftovers for breakfast.