I’ve barely been able to contain my excitement about sharing this meal with you! Classy, simple, perfect for entertaining, simple, beyond delicious, simple, healthy, and did I mention, simple?
This dish takes minutes to throw together before it bakes in the oven for three hours. The result is a melt-in-your-mouth tender pork chop basking in caramelized apples and onions swimming in a sweet and savory sauce. Sent to me by a reader of this here blog, Melanie (there are a lot of us floating out there!), this dish is her signature pork chop recipe and I can see why! I served this for our Easter dinner over Parmesan smashed potatoes and everyone at the table was singing the praises of these chops as we ate mouthful after mouthful.
Seriously. You must try this. The sweet onions, tart apples and savory pork combines to make a meal you won’t soon forget! (Uh, I happen to have not forgotten it simply because I’ve made it every Sunday since!) Thanks, Melanie!
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Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork loin chops (at least 1/2-inch thick)
- 2-3 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced about 1/4-inch thick
- 1-2 yellow onions, sliced
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place the onion slices in an even layer over the bottom of the dish. Top the onion slices with the apples. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the apples and onions. Season the pork chops generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange the pork chops in a single layer on top of the apples and onions. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for three hours. Do not open the oven and lift the foil – the pork chops, apples and onions need to be tightly covered the whole time to work their magic (and not dry out).
- Serve each pork chop with Parmesan smashed potatoes and topped with the apples and onions.
Recipe Source: pork chops adapted slightly from Melanie, a reader of MKC
Well, you’ve done it again! My husband called me a gourmet cook. So moist and tender, and the onions and apples were just so good. I didn’t do the potatoes, a bit on the lazy side, but, oh boy. I can’t wait to try those too. This website is the best recipe website bar none that I have found. Thanks again! Can’t wait to try more recipes!
[...] Pork Chops with Caramelized Apples and Onions-http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/04/tender-pork-chops-with-caramelized-apples-and-onions.html and Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Mashed [...]
First off, I have to said that I found your website a couple of years ago and just about everything I’ve tried, I’ve loved. This is my go-to site for recipes. Thank you so much for all your hard work bringing us great tried and true recipes!!
Okay… I want to make these for a dinner group we are having next week. There are 8 people, so I am thinking I’ll need about 12 chops (4 big guys might need seconds). How would you recommend doing this? Change in cooking time? Thanks!
Melissa – I would split the recipe between 3 9X13-inch pans – if you don’t have that many pans or can’t fit them in your oven and your pork chops are small enough, you could probably fit about 6 pork chops in each pan, making two pans full. If anything you might need to increase the cooking time by 10 minutes or so but not much more than that. Good luck!
[...] February 4, 2012 Tender Pork Chops with Caramelized Apples and Onions (Community Group Meal)-http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/04/tender-pork-chops-with-caramelized-apples-and-onions.html and Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Mashed [...]
I used to make a similar recipe years ago but it had cider in it as well – I’ve lost the recipe so came online today to find something similar. Thanks ladies!
I’ve used eating apples that were going a bit soft (in this case Braeburns) but no sugar; Ive added a smidgeon of olive oil and about half an inch cube of butter as I’ve used pork steaks (which is what i had) and there was almosst no fat on them.
Absolutely delicious ( and the apple cores went out for the birds – blackbirds love them)
I just put the chops in the oven and I am down right giddy to have them again. The apple/onion was like this orgasmic jam i wanted to spread it all over myself and the chops melted in my mouth and the house smelled delicious…a real beautiful sensual simple meal….hahah opps sorry I got carried away here…but you now know what you have to look forward to when you try this recipe…Holy Moly…it is a K-E-E-P-E-R!
I also tried your chicken noodle soup…another incredible recipe. I have been singing your prasies to all my friend…thanks again.
AMAZINGLY GOOD! We had these for dinner tonight and let me just tell you, they were delicious. We left the house for awhile and when we got home, I could smell the amazing aroma from outside the front door. I was so excited to eat dinner. I haven’t cooked bone in pork chops in forever, but boy were these good. Definitely to be added into the dinner rotation on a regular basis. I also made the potatoes and they were good, although I didn’t have yukon golds and my garlic didn’t finish roasting in time, so I just had to press a few cloves and add them in. They were still tasty. I will have to try following that recipe to a T next time.
I made this last night and they were so tender and delicious!!
I would definately try making this recipe again, but I’d cut out the “generous” seasoning of chops both sides with salt and pepper. I made them tonight and was very disappointed with the overpowering salt taste. I’d probably just “lightly” salt and pepper one side, and then cook (just for my taste anyway). The apple and onion was absolutely delicious, and the pork was so tender and literally fell off the bone. I really like how quick this recipe is to prepare, and then put in the oven and forget for three hours.
Mel to the rescue again! Had bone-in pork and not sure what to do….the pork turned out amazing – yum…the apples and onions all on top of the potatoes served with steamed brussel sprouts which really was the perfect side. The onions somehow got quite overcooked, so next time I’ll be a little more careful (not sure what happened!!) Thanks Mel!
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The ten-year-old looked on pretty skeptically as I layered onions, apples, and pork chops into a pan. But he was the one begging for more a few hours later when the pan was empty! I’ve tried something similar to this before, but without the sealed pan and long cooking time. It made all the difference. Thanks for another great one!
I made these tonight (along with the potatoes) for my boyfriend and our roommate. The guys were apprehensive at first, but as soon as the first bite hit their tongues they were all praises. In fact they’re already asking me to make it again. I did however add my own touch with a little bit of honey bourbon over the apples and onions before throwing on the brown sugar. It was super tasty! Thanks for the great recipes to add to my repertoire!
[...] internet I decided to try the Tender Pork Chops with Caramelized Apples & Onions recipe at Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. It is one of the easiest pork recipes I have came [...]
These were the most tender pork chops I’ve ever made! And, the easiest!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi Mel! This was a huge hit with my family! Even my 5 and 3 year old ate it. It was so easy to make and delicious with the roasted garlic and parmesan potatoes. Yum!! Thanks again for another fantastic recipe! Love, love, love your blog!
First off I have to say…Mel I LOVE YOUR SITE. I make atleast 1 meal from it everyweek and they are always delish! But something went wrong with this one. I followed everything to a ‘T’and for some reason the brown sugar, apples and onion burned and the chops were extreemly dry and overcooked. Don’t worry you didn’t lose me from this site but I don’t think I’m going to try this one again.
I’m a newbie to cooking – but I’d love to adapt this recipe for a crock pot. Any advice to make that happen? I’m a mom of two and one of which is a newborn – crock pot meals are all I can manage right now as I have limited time while both kids are asleep!
Hi Abbie – feel free to read through the comments, I know there are several who have adapted this to the slow cooker (I haven’t tried it myself).
Can I make these ahead and just reheat..or will that ruin the deliciousness? I have made this dish twice already and I swear people look at me with newfound love in their eyes, it is THAT good!! There are never leftovers so I am unsure of how this will fare as a make-ahead. I’m also a vegetarian so I don’t even know what I am missing!! Thanks in advance!!
Stephanie – I’ve never made it ahead so you’ll have to experiment with that. Good luck!
I’ve been making this recipe for a few years now- what a find! I won’t eat anyone else’s pork chops because I know I’ll be disappointed! I’ve made this for my family and they rave about it, even my pseudo-chef brother (although he would never let me know it)!! This would certainly be a great holiday meal! Although, I must warn – if you live in an apartment, open the windows and shut your closet doors when cooking
way too good to worry about that though!
And to Stephanie above- i make a lg quantity and freeze them.. Just as good thawed and re-heated!
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This is a wonderful recipe! I even sliced more apples and onions and put them on top too and sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon. It’s such a heavenly aroma as it bakes. I’ve baked it for my neighbors, shared the recipe with friends, who have passed it on to their friends. Good news (and food) travels fast!
I made this and was absolutely wrapped. It was such a great flavour and so tender. I am in Australia and will be following your site for more tasty dishes. YUMMY…!!!!!!!
Oh my! My BFF Google brought me to your website after searching for make ahead recipes. I just HAD to make these pork chops tonight after reading the recipe. They came out absolutely perfect! There were three of us for supper and it was touch and go for a bit whether or not blood would be shed over the last chop . . . (common sense prevailed – we split it evenly lol). I will never cook bone-in chops any other way again but next time it will be six! Thank you! Can’t wait to try the other recipes I’ve save to my recipe box