Step by step

Method

4 steps

1. 1

   Pat 1½ pounds pork chops (bone-in or boneless, about ¾–1 inch thick) or sliced pork tenderloin dry. Season with salt, pepper, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or thyme. Slice 1 onion thin; optional: 1 apple sliced. Have ⅓–½ cup apple butter ready, plus ½ cup chicken stock or apple cider and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or Dijon.

2. 2

   Heat 1–2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over medium-high. Brown pork 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden (it doesn't need to be fully cooked yet). Scoop to a plate. Soften onion (and apple if using) in the drippings 5–7 minutes until browned and sweet-smelling.

3. 3

   Stir in apple butter, stock/cider, vinegar or Dijon, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Scrape the browned bits. Nestle pork back in, spoon sauce over, and simmer gently 8–12 minutes until pork hits 145°F and the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. If it gets too tight, splash in more stock.

4. 4

   Rest pork 3 minutes off heat. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or biscuits and spoon the apple-butter pan sauce over everything. You want juicy pork with sticky sweet-tart apple butter sauce — not dry chops or burnt sugar sludge.