Cider-Brined Pork Chops with Apples, Shallots and Mustard

Steps

1. Warm 2 cups cider with the salt, brown sugar, bay leaves and peppercorns in a saucepan, stirring until dissolved. Off the heat, add 1 cup cider and the ice and stir until cold. Submerge the chops and refrigerate 2 hours (no longer than 4).
2. Remove the chops, pat very dry and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 400°F.
3. Heat the oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the sage leaves 20–30 seconds until crisp; lift onto a paper towel.
4. Add the chops and sear 3–4 minutes per side without moving, until deeply browned. Sear the fat cap edges briefly, holding them with tongs. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast 5–8 minutes, until the chops read 140°F in the center. Move to a plate and rest 5 minutes (they will rise to 145°F).
5. Set the skillet over medium heat (careful, the handle is hot) and add 1 tbsp butter, the apples and shallots. Cook 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are golden and the shallots soft.
6. Add the remaining 1 cup cider and the thyme and boil 4–5 minutes, scraping the pan, until reduced by about two-thirds and syrupy. Whisk in the mustard, vinegar, cream (if using), the last 1 tbsp butter and any resting juices from the chops.
7. Spoon the apples, shallots and sauce over the chops, top with the crispy sage and serve.

Kitchen tip

Use unfiltered fresh apple cider (the cloudy kind), not hard cider or clear apple juice. Do not brine longer than 4 hours or the texture turns ham-like. Pork is safe and at its juiciest at 145°F with a slight blush of pink, so an instant-read thermometer is the best tool here. Thick, bone-in chops are much more forgiving than thin boneless ones; if you only have thinner chops, skip the oven step and cook through in the pan.

General nutrition information, not medical advice. Talk to your own healthcare provider about your needs.