Fall

Apple and Sage Brown Butter Pork Chops

by:
November 29, 2015
5
4 Ratings
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Makes 6 pork cutlets (enough for 3 people)
Author Notes

I needed a quick dinner for my family this fall. I used all the fall flavors I could get my hands on! Making the brown butter before adding the onions really gave it a delicious nutty taste. My picky teen (who will not normally touch an onion) ate it and asked for more! —Donna

Test Kitchen Notes

Once seasoned, the spices (sage, thyme, rosemary, and a pinch of cinnamon) were quite nice together and paired well with the brown butter, apples, onions and pork. Personally, I would double the apple and onions piece and season the meat first before frying with salt and pepper and maybe some sage. This could be a nice and quick weeknight meal. —Dawne Marie

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/3 sweet onion
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 sweet apple (More like Gala, not red delicious)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed rosemary (that way you don't end up with twigs in your food)
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • Cinnamon, to taste
  • 6 Thin cut boneless pork chops
  • Water or apple cider, as needed
Directions
  1. Cut your onion into long thin strands - I use a mandoline. Use what you need and freeze the rest for another day.
  2. Cut apples into chunks - quarter the apple, then cut each quarter into thirds lengthwise, then cut each slice in half crosswise.
  3. Sage brown butter. On med-med high heat melt the butter (low & slow) until it starts to foam & turn brown. Add the sage brown for 15-30 seconds.
  4. Add onions. Sautee until caramelized (again, low & slow)
  5. Add apples. Stir until apples are covered in the butter
  6. Add thyme & rosemary...stir
  7. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon...stir
  8. Add pork chops - you can either remove the apples, brown the chops and then add the apples back or just push the apples out of the way so the chops are touching the pan. Brown on one side. Flip brown & cook through on the other side. (The apples and onions can be on top of the chops while they are browning to give flavor.) At this point sometimes (not always, depends how fast they are cooking and how much butter and juice released from apples there is) I add just a teeny bit of water (or apple cider if you have it) and cover to make sure the chops are cooked through and softens the apples if needed. The chops are thin so they cook pretty quickly

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Debbie Zomermaand
    Debbie Zomermaand
  • Chris Cummings
    Chris Cummings
  • Stephanie H.
    Stephanie H.
  • Edina
    Edina

6 Reviews

Debbie Z. November 23, 2022
I have made this recipe many times and it is always delicious!
 
Edina September 16, 2019
Great recipe!
 
Chris C. December 24, 2015
Just made this - delicious! I added a bit of cream to the sauce at the end, which took it into the realm of party food.
 
Donna December 17, 2015
Oh no! 2 Things I forgot (forgive the newbie). 1) Yes, of course you should season the chops with salt prior to cooking. I am not a fan of black pepper, but I guess you could use that, too. 2) I like a little "tooth" (not exactly a crunch) to my apples, so I chunk them, not slice them. One apple, cut into 12 pieces, each of those then halved. Thanks for looking at my recipe!
 
Donna January 10, 2016
Fixed it!
 
Stephanie H. December 14, 2015
Tasty recipe! We loved the combination of sage, rosemary, thyme and cinnamon. I wrote about making this on my blog: https://whateverpieces.wordpress.com/2015/12/14/apple-sage-brown-butter-pork-chops/