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Bacon and Apple Pork Chops
Boneless pork chops get a sweet and savory upgrade with a rich topping of crisp bacon and tender apples. Searing the meat in a cast-iron skillet builds a beautiful crust while keeping the inside juicy. A quick pan sauce comes together as diced apples, onions, and garlic soften in the rendered bacon fat. A final drizzle of honey balances the salty bite of the bacon. Serve these hearty chops for a comforting weeknight dinner when the weather starts to cool down.
Ingredients
- 6 boneless pork chops
- garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
- 2 T. olive oil
- 3 thick-cut slices bacon, diced
- 1/2 c. onion, diced
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
Instructions
- 1Set aside a small amount of honey to use as a garnish for the final plating.
- 2Season both sides of the pork chops with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Warm the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add the pork chops and sear until browned on both sides.
- 3Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and cook until the pork chops are completely cooked through and no longer pink inside. Cook the diced bacon in a separate skillet over medium heat until crispy.
- 4Push the crispy bacon to one side of the skillet. Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the other side and cook until the onion softens, then stir the apples into the bacon mixture.
- 5Simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes until the apples become tender, turning down the heat if the pan gets too hot. Plate the pork chops, spoon the apple and bacon topping over them, and finish with a drizzle of honey.
- 6Inspect your cast-iron skillet before cooking to ensure it has a good seasoning layer for homestyle dinners.
- 7If the skillet needs seasoning, rub it lightly with oil, bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour, and let it cool completely in the oven.