Sweet & Savory Wins Hearts

Okay, I am drowning in pictures from our trip. I must have taken almost a thousand! I am having trouble knowing where to begin. So, I am avoiding and procrastinating.... sounds like it's time to cook! Pork chops were on sale so I prowled the aisles, wondering what to do with them. Shake and bake, while tasty, is such a cop out. Then, I remembered a delicious recipe that I've wanted to try that used apples. I am wary of sweet and savory, preferring to keep them separate. However, feeling adventurous, I think I succeeded in challenging my previously held notions.

Apple and Sage Pork Chops

• 1 1/2 tsp. sage (rubbed w/fingers to crush)
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp. paprika (smoked if available!)
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 pork chops (boneless or bone-in)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Mix flour, all spices and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with seasoned flour mixture. Set aside remaining mixture.

Cook pork chops in hot oil, on medium high heat until browned on both sides. Remove from skillet and set aside.

• 1 medium red onion, sliced thin
• 2 small red apples, sliced thin

Add onion to skillet and cook 3 minutes or until tender. Add apples and cook additional 2 minutes.

• 1/2 C. apple juice (fresh squeezed is best!)
• 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• remaining flour/spice mixture

Mix juice, sugar and flour/spice mixture together and add to apples and onions in the skillet. Return pork chops to skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until internal temp reaches 160° or no longer pink inside. I didn't specify a time, because it can vary based on thickness of chops.

Well, the kiddos loved it and had the gravy created, over mashed potatoes. My husband took the leftovers for lunch today. My six month old loved sucking on the cooked apples and I even mixed a little of the gravy in with his mashed veggies and he gobbled that right up. Enjoy!

Molasses & Coffee Marinated Pork Chops

OH, heaven is the aroma of fresh roasted coffee. It makes my mouth water, and when Alton Brown did an episode of Good Eats that featured pork chop recipe with coffee as an ingredient, I just had to make them... but of course tweaking the recipe to make it my own. The coffee brings a dark richness to it, and the molasses is sweet and heavy. I wasn't able to grill it, but suspect that if I had, it would have been ten times better and that is unimaginable since it was finger licking good baked. Here is the recipe!...

Molasses and Coffee Marinated Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (I used a horseradish Dijon)
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger  
• 4 6-to-8-ounce bone-in pork chops (1 inch thick)

Directions

Combine the coffee, molasses, honey, vinegar, mustard, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the ginger, and pork chops in a 1-gallon zip-top bag; seal and shake to combine. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Grilling Directions

(if you cannot grill, continue to "Baking Directions") Preheat a grill to medium-high. Remove the pork from the bag. Pour the marinade into a saucepan; boil gently over medium-high heat, stirring, until reduced to 1/2 cup, 12 to 15 minutes.

Grill the pork chops for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until they reach an internal temperature of 145°. Let rest for 5 minutes; serve with the glaze.

Baking Directions

Preheat oven to 425°. Remove pork from bag and place in a Pyrex baking dish with room so none of the pork chops overlap but fit as snuggly as possible. Pour the marinade into a saucepan; boil gently over medium-high heat, stirring, until reduced to 1/2 cup, 12 to 15 minutes.

Bake the pork chops for 20 to 30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 145°. Let rest for 5 minutes and serve with the glaze.

Chad and I concluded that if you added maybe 1/4 cup soysauce (eliminating the addition of salt), a couple dashes toasted sesame oil and a little more ginger, it could really get a great asian flavor to it. It is very close to a teryaki flavor.