Culinary Disasters

Pork chops and apples go together like lamb and tuna fish (ok I really need to cancel the Showtime package).

This dish was something I just kind of threw together and I had a strong desire to set something on fire.  Some great additions would be to toss the apple slices with cinnamon or nutmeg before browning them. 

For this dish you will need:

• 4 pork chops
• 3 apples (I believe I used Jonathan apples)
• 1/2 cup of bourbon
• all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 TB of unsalted butter
• 2 TB of high temperature oil (I used canola)
• 1 TB of lemon juice

Mix the lemon juice with 2 cups of water.  Peel the apples, core them, and cut them in 8 slices.  Place them in the lemon water.  This will keep them from browning before they go into the pan.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the pork chops.  Cover the chops in flour and shake off the excess.

Over medium-high melt the 2 TB of butter and the 2 TB of oil.  Once the butter has stopped foaming add in the pork chops and brown on both sides (about 3-5 minutes).  I like to do 2 at a time so I don’t overcrowd the pan.  Remove the pork chops once browned and set aside.

Drain the apple slices and add them to the pan and cook till browned all over (about 2-3 minutes total).

Remove the pan from the heat, add in the bourbon, return the pan to the heat, and either tilt the pan if you are using gas or use a long safety lighter/match to light the bourbon.  Remember I am not responsible if you somehow manage to burn yourself or your house in this process.

Once the flame dies does add the pork back into the pan and roll the pork chops and the apple slices in the sauce to coat them.

The pork chops I cooked were 1.5 inches thick.  The couple minutes of browning and the minute in the pan getting coated was enough to cook them to medium (about 140 internal).  If the pork chops you are using are thicker it may take a couple minutes to finish cooking them.

Serve the pork chops with some of the pan sauce poured over top along with the apples.

Tags: pork, All //