Few pairings are as good as pork and apples. It's a classic fall combination that takes advantage of apples being so readily available. For this particular recipe, we'll be combining classic apple flavor with cinnamon.
Cinnamon and apples is a popular pairing for desserts, but it has merit as a combination for dinners as well. We don't use a lot of cinnamon in this recipe; just enough to make a slight difference in the flavor. A light amount of cinnamon adds complexity to the flavor of apple.
Speaking of the apples, we'll be using Granny Smith apples in this recipe. Granny Smith apples are very popular, so regardless of where you live in the United States this apple variety should be easy to find. If you can, support your local apple farms by purchasing from them!
For the pork, you'll need boneless center-cut pork loin chops. You'll want them to be about half an inch thick, so use a mallet to flatten them if necessary. Other key ingredients include sage, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Now, let's get into this recipe!
Pork Loin with Cinnamon Apples
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 4-ounce boneless center-cut pork loin chops (about ½ inch thick)
½ teaspoon vegetable oil
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon butter
4 cups (½-inch) sliced and peeled Granny Smith apples*
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
Directions:
1. Combine dried sage, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper; sprinkle over pork. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add pork; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove pork from pan; cover and keep warm.
2. Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add apples and next 4 ingredients; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Serve apple mixture with pork chops.
Nutritional Information
Serves 4
Serving size: 1 pork chop and ¾ cup apple mixture
Per serving
Calories: 251 (30% from fat)
Total Fat: 8.3g
Sat: 3.1g
Mono: 3.3g
Poly: 0.9g
Protein: 24.1g
Carb: 20.2g
Fiber: 2.3g
Cholesterol: 67mg
Sodium: 388mg
Calcium: 38mg
*can substitute Braeburn apples