So I’m sure lots of you are familiar with that apple butter pork loin recipe–it seems like it is one of those recipes like funeral potatoes (cheesy hashbrown casserole, if you’re not familiar with the lingo) that everyone has and no one knows where it came from. I’ll be honest. I want to like it so badly. It sounds so yummy. But I can’t handle that much one-note sweetness with meat.
Awhile back, Sara and I were accidentally shipped some apple products from Musselman’s
(hey, I’m not complaining!) and I remembered apple butter pork loin. And I remembered my feelings of longing and wistfully not fitting in because I’m not 100% crazy about it. So I decided to do something about it and dress up that apple butter pork loin recipe, making it something company-worthy and keeping a lot of the sweetness, but also adding a lot of my favorite savory flavors.
You’ll need a really high-quality apple cider–something where you can’t see all the way through it, like this Musselman’s cider or Simply Apple.
Also, some apple butter. This is super easy to find–it’s usually near the jams, jellies, and peanut butter.
In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider, apple butter, some Creole or coarsely ground mustard,
and a whole bunch of fresh garlic.
Whisk it all together and set it aside.
Next, whisk together some all-purpose flour, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic powder and set it aside.
To get your pork chops, you can either buy pre-cut boneless pork chops, or you can partially freeze a pork sirloin roast (which is very lean and inexpensive) and then cut 4 3/4-inch slices out of the thickest part of the roast, then just save the ends for a lean alternative to pork shoulder in BBQ Pork Sandwiches.
Preheat your oven to 375.
Prepare half of a recipe of caramelized onions (so you’re just using 1 large onion here) in a large, oven-safe skillet. When you’re done caramelizing your onions, remove them from the pan and set them aside. Return the skillet to the stovetop and heat 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat.
While the oil is heating, dredge your pork chops in the flour/garlic powder mixture.
When the oil is very hot (like sizzling if you flick some water into it), place the pork chops in the hot skillet and cook them for 2-3 minutes per side or until they are brown and crispy.
Whisk the apple cider mixture again and then pour it over the pork chops. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken. Divide the caramelized onions evenly among the pork chops,
cover the pan with a lid, and place the pan in the oven for 30 minutes. If you don’t have a large, oven-safe skillet with a lid, just place them in a 9×13″ baking dish and cover with foil, it’ll just be another dish to wash. Remove the pan from the oven and place each pork chop on a plate with a few spoonfuls of sauce. Serve with your favorite veggies or a tossed green salad.
Sweet & Savory Apple Butter Pork Chops
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Ingredients
4 boneless pork chops (about 1 lb. I just got a sirloin roast, partially froze it, and cut 4 chops about ½”-3/4” thick)
¼ c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 c. high-quality apple cider
¼ c. apple butter
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ tablespoons Creole or coarsely ground mustard
1 tsp. pressed garlic
1/2 recipe of Caramelized Onions
Directions
Preheat oven to 375.Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a small bowl. In a large, oven-safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture and then brown the pork chops for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they’re brown and crispy.
While the pork chops are browning, combine the apple cider, apple butter, water, garlic, and mustard. When the pork chops are done browning, add the cider mixture to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce begins to evaporate and thicken. Remove from heat and evenly distribute the caramelized onions over the pork chops. Cover the pan with a lid and place in oven for 30 minutes. Serve with rice and veggies or salad.
Freezer Meal: Sweet & Savory Apple Butter Pork Chops
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Ingredients
4 boneless pork chops (about 1 lb. I just got a sirloin roast, partially froze it, and cut 4 chops about ½”-3/4” thick)
¼ c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 c. high-quality apple cider
¼ c. apple butter
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ tablespoons Creole or coarsely ground mustard
1 tsp. pressed garlic
1/2 recipe of Caramelized Onions
Directions
Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a small bowl. In a large, oven-safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture and then brown the pork chops for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they’re brown and crispy.
While the pork chops are browning, combine the apple cider, apple butter, water, garlic, and mustard. Add the cider mixture to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce begins to evaporate and thicken.
Transfer the pork chops and sauce to a 9×13″ disposable aluminum pan. Evenly distribute the caramelized onions over the pork chops. Cover the pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and freeze.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350. Bake, covered, for 1 hour or until the pork chops are tender. Serve with rice and a green salad or veggies.
Supply List:
9×13″ disposable pan
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Rice
Vegetables
Ingredients for green salad
Salad dressing
Questions & Reviews
Hi Sara! I know this post is old, but I am trying to make the recipe this week, and it looks like the link to your recipe for caramelized onions isn’t active. I searched your site for the recipe, but I found only other recipes that also call for caramelized onion. Do you recommend the same caramelizing process in the sweet onion dip? Thanks!!
Here you go!
https://ourbestbites.com/2011/01/how-to-caramelize-onions/
FYI – the Caramelized onions recipe link doesn’t work anymore
Delicious!!! Thanks!!
I have made this (almost) exact recipe after having the same “one note” thoughts about the pork roast recipe and modifying it. However, for flavor you cannot beat bone-in center cut loin chops. I recommend them over the boneless everytime. Lean or not. 🙂
This sounds delicious………….. but how is it is “Freezer Meal”?
Cari- see the printable recipe box at the end of the post titled “freezer meal”
This recipe was phenomenal! Thank you!
Hi! I am making some freezer meals for a friend who recently had a baby and this one looks great! One question though. When she is ready to bake it, does she need to thaw it beforehand, or do the cooking instructions “baked covered for one hour” assume it is being baked from a frozen state? Thanks!
I’m curious about this too. I’m getting ready to have a baby and would love to have a pan of these in my freezer!
Was there an answer to this question? Bake from frozen for 1 hour or thaw first and bake for 1 hr? Thanks!
They were wonderful!!!!
Do you think it would matter if I didn’t do the carmelized onions? I just used my last onion tonight and I can’t go to the store tomorrow. Thanks!
Well, not caramelizing them is one thing, but leaving them out altogether is another thing. They really add a lot to the flavor, so if you can track one down, that would probably be best. 🙂
MMmmkay….made this last night and it was delish! So yummy and sorta fall-y cause of the apple flavor. Thank you again for every yummy recipe….I have made many and none have disappointed!!
What would you serve as a side for these? They look yummy!
Oh, pretty much anything–rice, potatoes, veggies. Super versatile! 🙂