French Pork Chops Recipe with Apple Cream Sauce
User Reviews
4.4
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
777 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
French
French Pork Chops Recipe with Apple Cream Sauce
Description
French Pork Chops with Apple Cream Sauce presents a combination of tender pork chops infused with fresh thyme and a sauce crafted from sautéed apples, shallots, and toasted walnuts. The cooking method starts with pan-searing the seasoned pork chops for a caramelized crust, then preparing a sauce by softening apples and shallots in butter, reducing hard cider, and enriching it with heavy cream. Toasting the walnuts separately introduces a contrasting texture and a nutty depth. The final step involves gently simmering the pork in the sauce to tenderize the meat and marry the flavors.
The resulting dish offers a rich, velvety apple cream sauce with a slight acidity from the cider, balanced by the sweetness of apples and the earthiness of thyme. The pork chops maintain a juicy interior with a browned exterior crust. This recipe works well served alongside mild side dishes that allow the sauce to stand out, such as simple roasted vegetables or buttery mashed potatoes.
Storage tips include refrigerating leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days, though freezing is not recommended due to potential separation of the cream sauce. To reheat, warm gently in a skillet over low heat and add a splash of cream or broth to restore sauce texture, avoiding microwave reheating to prevent drying out the pork and splitting the sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- 4 pork chops about 1" thick, boneless center-cut
- 2 teaspoons thyme chopped fresh
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 apple thinly sliced, Granny Smith variety
- 1 cup hard cider
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to allow them to reach room temperature.
- Place the walnuts in a sauté pan set over medium heat. Dry-toast the walnuts until fragrant, being careful to avoid burning, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
- Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Rub both sides of each chop with fresh thyme.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the seasoned pork to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until browned. Remove the pork from the pan and set aside.
- Add the butter to the skillet, along with the minced shallots and apples. Sauté over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, until the apples have softened.
- Pour the cider into the pan and continue to cook for 3 minutes to reduce the liquid.
- Add the cream and cook for another 3-5 minutes until thick.
- Return the browned pork to the pan, turn the heat down to medium, cover with a lid, and simmer until you cook the pork through, about 4-6 minutes. Ensure that the pork chops reach 145 ºF (63 ºC) as measured with a meat thermometer.
- Serve topped with the toasted walnuts.
Notes
- Use fresh thyme to season the pork chops before searing for best flavor.
- Toast the walnuts separately in a dry pan to add a gentle nutty crunch without burning.
- Let pork chops rest at room temperature before cooking to ensure even cooking.
- Reheat leftovers gently in a skillet with a little added cream or broth to maintain sauce consistency; avoid microwaving.
- Store leftovers refrigerated up to three days; freezing is not advised due to cream sauce texture changes.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 777 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 777kcal | 39% |
| Carbohydrates | 20g | 7% |
| Protein | 36g | 72% |
| Fat | 63g | 97% |
| Saturated Fat | 23g | 115% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 20g | 118% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Trans Fat | 0.4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 172mg | 57% |
| Sodium | 86mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 855mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 13g | 26% |
| Vitamin A | 1158IU | 23% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 95mg | 10% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.4
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