Reprinted with permission from Laurel Burleson, owner of Ugly Apple Cafe
Ingredients
For Apple Bacon Cabbage
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4 ounces bacon
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium head red or green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 apples, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For Pork Chops:
4 pork chops, 5–6 ounces each
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup vegetable stock, chicken stock or apple juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
For the apple bacon cabbage, in a large, heavy-bottomed pan, cook the bacon over medium heat to render the fat and cook it most of the way to being crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon and roughly chop. Keep the fat in the pan.
Add the onions to the pan with the bacon fat and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the cabbage and salt. Gently sauté to coat the cabbage in bacon fat. Continue turning the cabbage from the bottom until it wilts down and starts to look tender, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and simmer until it evaporates, about 30 seconds.
Turn the heat to low and add the apples. Cook until the apples are soft. Remove from heat, then add the chopped bacon and season with pepper. Stir to combine the ingredients and then season to taste.
For the pork chops, 45 minutes before you want to eat, remove the chops from the refrigerator. Season with salt on both sides and allow to stand, lightly covered, for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, heat a heavy-bottomed skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the pepper, sage and garlic powder on both sides of the pork chops.
Add the oil to the skillet. When the oil shimmers, carefully lay in the pork chops. Allow the pork chops to sear until golden, about 3 minutes. Carefully turn them over and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the vegetable stock, chicken stock or apple juice and cover. Continue cooking for 6 to 10 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145 degrees F. If the liquid evaporates too quickly and the pan starts to bubble and caramelize, turn the heat down a little and add ¼ cup of water. Cover again with the lid.
When the proper temperature is reached, remove the pork chops from the pan with the tongs and transfer them to a platter to rest for at least 5 minutes. Serve with the braised apple bacon cabbage.
