Marinated in our Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing, then seared and roasted in the oven, this pork chop and applesauce recipe is sure to be your new favorite fall staple! With the cinnamon-sweetness of homemade applesauce as a marinade for the pork chops, it’s a healthy, balanced dish that’s great as a main item or a potluck recipe.

Total Time: 45 minutes
Yields: 2 servings

Savory Marinated Pork Chops with Homemade Applesauce & Sage

Ingredients:

For the pork chops

• 2 pasture raised pork chops bone in, about 1.5- 2 inches thick
• ½ cup of Chosen Foods Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing & Marinade
• 5-7 sage leaves (optional) 
• 4 teaspoons avocado oil for searing chops

For the applesauce

• 2 cups apples, about 2 apples, sliced thin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing & Marinade
• 2 teaspoons monk fruit sugar or honey

Instructions:

1. Cover the pork chops with ½ cup of Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing in a Ziploc or silicon bag and marinate for at least two hours. 
2. Once the pork chops have marinated for at least two hours, preheat the oven to 400°F. 
3. Remove pork chops from the bag, pouring out any excess liquid.
4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet to a medium-high heat. Add 4 teaspoons of avocado oil and make sure it coats the bottom of the skillet evenly. Ensure the pan is hot before adding the pork chops.
5. Sear pork chops until golden brown and crusty (about 2 minutes on each side).
6. Remove chops from the pan and set on a plate. Add sage to the pan with another tablespoon of avocado oil. Fry sage leaves for 15-20 seconds or until slightly brown. Remove the sage from the pan and drain the liquid.
7. Add the pork chops back to the skillet. Using an oven mitt, transfer the skillet to the oven, and roast the chops until just cooked through (about 8-10 minutes). The internal temperature should read 145°F.
8. While the the pork chops are in the oven, make the applesauce. In a bowl, mix together the apples, cinnamon, lemon, Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing, and your sweetener of choice.
9. In a saucepan, sauté the mix together, stirring frequently (about 10 minutes or until the apples soften).
10. Remove the skillet from the oven and carefully drain any excess fat into a bowl to be discarded once cooled. Set the drained pan with the pork chops on the stove top to rest.
11. Leave the pork to rest for at least 10 minutes, flipping once. This helps to distribute the juices evenly.
12. To serve, cut the pork from the bones, slice, and sprinkle with sea salt.

 

All recipes adapted from The Mexican Keto Cookbook. Copyright © 2019 by Torie Borrelli. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.