I am here to tell you that dinner can be quick, healthy, and delicious all at the same time! These apple cider pork chops are perfect for a busy weeknight meal, but they taste so elegant that it feels like Sunday dinner. The apple cider mustard sauce also pairs well with other types of proteins so you could easily make a larger batch and serve it with two different types of meat two nights in a row. How’s that for a time saver?
The Apple Cider Mustard Sauce
The sauce is the key to this glorious meal! It has such an elegant yet earthy taste and I believe that comes from fresh ingredients and herbs. Start by chopping up 1/3 cup of shallots and a tablespoon or two of sage. In a small bowl, whisk together a cup of chicken stock, 1/2 cup of apple cider, and 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Then add in 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons of maple syrup, and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. Whisk all of this together so that it is well integrated.
In a large saute pan, saute the shallot and sage in 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. Cook it for about 2 minutes. It should be very fragrant. Then pour in your apple cider mixture and bring it all to a boil. Once it has boiled, reduce the heat to low and add in 1/2 cup of golden raisins. These are WAY better than regular raisins in my opinion. Not only do they add color, but they bring a sweetness to balance the tang from the mustard and vinegar.
Whisk the sauce for about 2 minutes and you will notice it start to thicken. At this point, stir in 1 tablespoon of butter, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and a dash of Kosher salt. Simply pour it all into a bowl and set it aside until the apple cider pork chops are done cooking.
I originally got this apple-cider sauce recipe from a Cooking Light magazine. They suggest using it on top of turkey or salmon, but I had a feeling it would taste great on pork because pork and apples go so well together. I’m kind of toying with the idea of having this as an additional sauce to my 3 Step Tuscan Style Roasted Turkey on Thanksgiving. Both recipes use sage and mustard, so I think they will compliment each other well.
The Apple Cider Pork Chops
Using the same large saute pan from the apple cider sauce, pour in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat it over medium to high heat. Once it is sizzling, add in about 6 pork chops. Try to keep all bottom parts of the pork chops touching the pan so that they cook evenly. Grill the pork chops about 3 minutes on each side. Make sure they are nice and brown before you flip them over. If your pork chops are on the thicker side, make sure to cook them until a meat thermometer reads 145 degrees.
Once cooked, turn the heat to low and add the apple-cider sauce. Let it warm through for a few minutes, spooning some on top of the pork chops.
How’s that for a 30 minute meal that looks like it took way longer? I served our apple cider pork chops with a side of steamed broccoli and a Traditional Fluffy Yeast Roll spread with apple butter. Are you seeing my apple theme yet?
Not only is this spectacular for dinner on a busy week night, but it makes for yummy meal prep too. My husband had these in his lunches a few days in a row and I heard no complaints! It’s always nice to know that food can be healthy and delicious at the same time!
If you need some other 30 Minute Meal Ideas or Crockpot Cooking Recipes, check out my Recipe Index or my Pinterest Boards. Both are loaded with great ideas that will get you out of your cooking rut. Happy cooking y’all!
30 Minute Apple Cider Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 5-6 Pork Chops
- 2 tsp olive oil plus more for sauteing
- 1/3 cup minced shallots
- 1 Tbsp chopped sage
- 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 4 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine the oil, shallots, and sage in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes.
- Whisk together the stock, cider, vinegar, mustard, syrup, and cornstarch. Add it to the pan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil then stir in the raisins.
- Reduce the heat and whisk the sauce for 2 minutes. It should begin to thicken.
- Stir in the butter, salt, and pepper until melted.
- Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into a bowl and set aside.
- Put more oil into the same pan and heat up.
- Place pork chops in pan and cook until browned, about 3-4 minutes on each side.
- When cooked and pork measures 145 degrees, pour in reserved sauce and heat through.
- Serve warm with vegetables.
Made this tonight with a couple of little changes to match what was in my cupboard, but it was absolutely delicious. Writing this one in my special recipe book for sure
Another great hit from Heidi’s Homecooking! This was super fast and easy and my whole family gobbled it up. I even shared some with the neighbor who said, and I quote, “This is da bomb!” The sauce definitely made the dish. I paired it with rice and broccoli, and then served another favorite from Heidi- The crockpot apple spice cake. Mmmm…. it was soooo good.
I agree. To quote Sponge Bob, “this is awesome-sauce!”