Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Apple & Sage Butter
Ingredients
- 4pork chops (1 inch thick, bone-in or boneless)
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
- 2 tablespoonolive oil
- 3 tablespoonbutter
- 6 leavesfresh sage
- 1apple (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- 2 tablespoonapple cider vinegar
- ½ cupchicken broth
Prep
- 01
Core and thinly slice 1 apple.
- 02
Strip 6 sage leaves from the stems.
Method
- 01
Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
- 02
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute.
- 03
Place pork chops in the skillet and sear without moving for 4 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom.
- 04
Flip and sear the other side for another 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- 05
Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and sage leaves to the skillet, swirling until the butter is nutty and fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 06
Add the apple slices to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until just softened.
- 07
Deglaze the pan with apple cider vinegar, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add chicken broth.
- 08
Return the pork chops to the skillet and simmer for 2 minutes to warm through and let the flavors meld.
- 09
Divide pork chops among plates and spoon the apples, sage, and pan sauce over the top. Serve immediately.
Spice Tips
For warmth, add a pinch of ground mustard or smoked paprika to the pan sauce. A crack of white pepper instead of black adds elegance. Fresh thyme can replace half the sage for an herbier note.
Serve with crushed potatoes or buttered egg noodles to soak up the pan sauce. Make-ahead: Season the chops 15 minutes before cooking for better browning.