Fall Pork Chops with Baked Apples

What a perfect time of year to make this dish. It’s the beginning of Fall, the weather is cooling down, and it’s apple season all around. This pork chops, apples, and onions dish can be made in one pan. You’ll be amazed at how well it comes together in every bite. Our family loved how deliciously light and flavorful it was. Perfect for Fall. 

If you got to have red, Pinot Noir works very well with pork.  It’s light to medium bodied and has a good amount of acidity to bring out the subtle flavor in this hearty but not heavy styled meat dish. Though it will hold up to many different seasonings in the recipe,  it won’t overpower them.   

We didn’t want to go with a traditional white with this dish.  Our pairing from Greece has a flavor profile that will stun the wine snobs.  It has such good quality and complexity, with favors of citrus, apples, mineral and saline characteristics, it’s just about as good as it gets to pair with this recipe.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. maple syrup

2 tsp. whole-grain mustard (Maille)

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper

1 small red onion, halved and sliced 

2 sweet-tart apples (such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady), cored and cut into 8 wedges each

4 (1"-thick) boneless pork chops (about 1½ lb. total)

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425° and place racks in the center and upper third of the oven. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, balsamic, maple syrup, mustard, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. 
• Add onion and apple to a medium bowl. Drizzle with half of the balsamic mixture and toss to combine. Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• Season the pork chops on both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle the pork chops in a rimmed baking sheet and add the onions and apples. Brush the remaining half of the balsamic mixture on both sides of each chop. Top each chop with a rosemary sprig. Place in the center rack of the oven and bake until apples and onions are softened, about 15-18 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to a high broil. Remove rosemary and place the sheet pan on the rack in the upper third of your oven and broil until chops are slightly caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the strength of your broiler. Let pork rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. Serve pork with apples and onions with any pan juices spooned over top. Serve alongside couscous, crispy Tater Tots or mashed potatoes. Add the baked rosemary or fresh rosemary on top of pork chops. 

This recipe has been contributed by Autumn Vallecorsa of Madie's Kitchen.