Braised Pork Chops with Cabbage and Apples
These Braised Pork Chops with Cabbage and Apples are the sort of one dish skillet meals that taste just like fall. Cajun rubbed thick cut pork chops are nestled in a bed of savoy cabbage, onion and apples then simmered in apple cider until tender. Serve just as is for a complete meal or with a heaping helping of creamy mashed potatoes. There’s homespun comfort in each and every bite.
Easy Braised Pork Chops with Cabbage and Apples Recipe
When the weather begins to turn, even though it does so slowly here in the South, dishes like these braised pork chops seem like a fitting way to welcome harvest season. The slight sweetness from the apple pairs beautifully with the savoy cabbage and onion. Apple cider provides the most delicious braising liquid for the pork chops, too. It infuses flavor and highlights the diced apple in the dish. Ingredients you’ll need to make Braised Pork Chops with Cabbage and Apples:
- Pork Chops – Four 6-8 ounce thick cut pork loin chops.
- Bacon – Classic or thick cut bacon.
- Apples – Gala Apples.
- Vegetables – Cabbage and onion.
- Seasonings – Cajun seasoning, fennel seed, garlic salt, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes.
- Liquid – Apple cider or apple juice.
- Herbs – Fresh thyme.
How to Make the BEST Braised Pork Chops with Cabbage and Apples
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: A large oven safe skillet, apple corer, sharp knife and cutting board, measuring cups and spoons and various kitchen utensils.
- If you prefer, you can use green cabbage in place of the savoy cabbage for braising.
- You can also add a diced sweet potato along with the onion, to give the dish another element of flavor.
- I typically use Gala or Honeycrisp apples for this dish. They’re sweet and hold up to the braising process.
- While the apple cider infused liquid is delicious, this dish isn’t supposed to be too “soupy” so, use your best judgement. If you’re pleased with the amount of liquid, you’ll be good to go.
- If it seems like too much liquid left in the pan at the end of cooking, remove the pork chops and cabbage to a platter, cover and keep warm. This will allow you to increase the heat and reduce the liquid leaving the amount to your taste. Doing so, will intensify the flavor and it can then be drizzled over the pork chops just before serving.
- Green cabbage and savoy cabbage both cook differently. The cooking time in the recipe is for savoy cabbage. Green cabbage will take slightly longer to cook.
- Store cooked Braised Pork Chops with Cabbage and Apples chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat or in single servings in the microwave.
Side Dishes to Serve with Braised Pork Chops
- Creamy Baked Mashed Potato Casserole.
- Make these Stuffing Muffins in a cupcake pan.
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes with your favorite toppings.
- This crisp Broccoli Salad is packed with flavor.
- Skillet Honey Cornbread with butter.
- Sweet Potato Casserole with a streusel topping.
- Sweet and tangy 5 Bean Salad.
- Make ahead layered Cornbread Salad.
- Spinach Orzo Salad from Barefeet in the Kitchen.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Braised Pork Chops With Cabbage and Apples
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon
- 4 6-8 oz thick cut pork loin chops
- 1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning See Cook’s note
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 2 Gala apples diced (Or your favorite variety)
- 1/2 tsp fennel seed
- 2-3 lb head Savoy cabbage or green cabbage roughly chopped
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes Or to taste
- 1 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottomed skillet cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from the pan leaving the drippings. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the skillet.
- Rub the pork chops on all sides with Cajun seasoning. Brown in the bacon drippings over medium-high heat on all sides but not cooked through. Remove from the skillet to a platter.
- Add the onion, apple and fennel seed to the pan. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if needed. Cook over medium high until beginning to brown. Add the cabbage to the skillet.
- Cook over medium high heat for 2 minutes until the the cabbage is beginning to wilt. Season with garlic salt, sugar red pepper flakes and leaves from 2 sprigs thyme.
- Nestle the pork chops back into the cabbage. Pour the apple cider over the top.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 25 minutes or until the pork chops are fork tender.
- When done, uncover and remove the pork chops and cabbage to a platter using a slotted spoon.
- Increase the heat to medium high and cook until any remaining liquid in the pan is reduced.
- Serve drizzled over the pork chops garnished with remaining thyme and crumbled bacon.
Notes
2) Green cabbage may be used in place of savoy cabbage, if desired.
I made your recipe for dinner this evening and oh my goodness!! It’s delicious! I did make a few substitutions… I used purple cabbage cause it’s what I had and used a can of frozen apple juice concentrate instead of plain apple juice. I could only get a 1/2 gallon size of juice at my store and would throw the rest away. I didn’t think I’d use the concentrate either, so I just added the whole thing. After it was done cooking, I removed the pork chops and cabbage and apples and reduced the remaining liquid to a beautiful purple, slightly spicy, sweet, glaze to drizzle over top of the pork chop. It was amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!! It’ll be a keeper at our house!!
Just made this. Delicious! A couple of changes…used Hoisin sauce as I had some in the fridge. Omitted the sugar and lessened the liquid added. So enjoyable and a complete dinner! Thanks Melissa!
Thanks so much!
I just made this on Saturday and had my doubts. It just didn”t seem like it would all combine well but still forged ahead. I did not have fresh thyme or apple cider but let me tell you, I LOVED THIS DISH. IT WAS REALLY GOOD!
Hi Joanne, thanks it’s one of our favorites!
We added a chopped sweet potato with the onion and liked it very much. I may try it again with boneless pork chops — I think I could fit more in the pan. I made my own Cajun seasoning and felt the dish had lots of flavor.
Sweet potato is a great addition, thanks!
Great recipe! Tons of flavor. I made my own Cajun spice since I didn’t have a pre-made blend and I left out the bacon because 8 forgot to buy it. Still had a ton of flavor. Great recipe if you’ve bought too much at a fall visit to the local apple orchard.
I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe, thank you!
LOVE the addition of apples. SO good!
We loved this easy meal!
I love any excuse to eat apples with my pork chops. Beautiful recipe!
This made for a delicious dinner! Thank you so much for sharing!
It was a big hit at my house! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
My new favorite dinner!
This trio of main ingredients works together so deliciously!! Such wonderful comfort food!!
Hi Melissa- Have you ever made this with regular cabbage? My husband & Mother-In-Law love regular cabbage more than savoy
Oh sure you can use green cabbage, no problem.
why can’t I copy these recipes
You can, use the print button in the recipe template.