Pan Roasted Pork Chops with Sweet Potato, Apple, and Shallot
I absolutely LOVE cooking pork chops. They can be made so simply and still pack an incredible amount of flavor. I actually never used to jump to pork chops when planning out my dinners. I used to think that they were dry and flavorless so I never really opted for them. BUT pairing them with a sweet sauce and cooking them to medium rather than well done has completely changed my perspective. They are now one of my favorite meats to cook and experiment with.
This recipe, is now my new favorite. I honestly could have eaten a second pork chop but we didn’t have one. The combination of some of my favorite sweet fall vegetables, the acidic flavors from the vinegar and mustard, and the cast iron char on the pork chops makes this dish so incredible.
Ingredients: Serves 2
2 bone in pork chops
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large or two small sweet potatoes, cubed
2 -3 medium shallots, quartered
1 apple, sliced into thin wedges and halved (I like fuji or honeycrisp)
Salt
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp raw honey
1/2 cup chicken bone broth
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Place sweet potato, shallot, and apple on a large baking sheet and drizzle with 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Once oven preheats, place veggies in the oven and let cook for 25-30 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft and cooked through and slightly browned
3. While the vegetables cook, prepare the pork. Pat dry and season generously with salt
4. Preheat your cast iron skillet (any pan will work here, cast iron will give you the best char). Let heat for 4-5 minutes. Once hot, add add the oil and the pork. Cook about 4 minutes on each side until the internal temperature reaches 145 or to your liking
5. Using tongs, remove the pork and let rest for 8-10 minutes
6. While pork rests, make the sauce. Start by adding the apple cider vinegar to the pan, scraping off any brown bits. Next stir in the thyme, dijon, honey, and chicken broth 1/4 cup at a time. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 2-3 minutes
7. Now add your cooked sweet potato, shallot, and apple mixture to the skillet and coat them in the sauce. Place the pork back into the pan to coat in sauce
8. Serve pork alongside your roasted veggies and enjoy!