“So what did you have for dinner?"
When I was a kid, this was one of the typical topics of conversation with my friends. I used to love to say, proudly, that I had 'Pork Chops with Apple Sauce.' I guess I liked saying it because it sounded so much fancier than the usual fare. And it wasn't just meat - it was a meat with a sauce.
But now I can say, "I had Apple Sage Pork Chops," for dinner tonight, which sounds even fancier! This recipe is especially popular in the fall during apple season, although it's great anytime of the year.
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This Apple Pork Chops recipe is one that you will want to make for dinner! It's another one of my favorite go-to dinner recipes that can be made in under 30 minutes, so it's a healthy and quick dinner that's realistic for a weeknight and Weight Watchers friendly.
🥘 Ingredients
For this recipe, you'll need:
- pork chops
- apples
- butter
- minced garlic
- apple juice
- Dijon mustard
- ground sage leaves *fresh or dried
- chili flakes (crushed red chili pepper)
- salt
- fresh sage leaves (optional)
💭What to do with fresh sage
If you have a lot of sage, this recipe is perfect! And if you're looking for additional recipes for fresh sage, then check out my Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe and Sausage & Apple Rice.
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Pork - you can use bone in or boneless pork chops, pork loin or pork tenderloin for this recipe
- Sage - if you are using fresh sage in the recipe (not just the garnish), you'll need to use double the amount you'd use of dried sage
- Garlic - you can use minced garlic in a jar, if you don't have fresh
- Apples - Granny Smith apples are best, as they hold their shape but you could use Honeycrisp
🥗 Side dishes
If you are looking for side dishes for this apple pork, here are some suggestions:
- 3 Ingredient Onion Baked Potatoes in Foil (shown)
- Spinach Salad
- Shredded Zucchini and Feta Sauté
- Healthy Potato Salad
- Caesar Twice Baked Potatoes
- Healthy Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
- Easy Tuna Casserole (with macaroni)
🍽Equipment
You'll need a sharp knife, a cutting board and a large nonstick skillet or a heavy cast iron skillet. An apple corer (affiliate links) comes in handy too for this pork chops with apple sage sauce.
💭Top Tip
The best way to check for doneness is internal temperature, with an instant read thermometer (affiliate link). This ensures the pork chops won't dry out.
🌡️Storage
Store these apple sage pork chops in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This dish doesn't stand up well to freezing, as the apples tend to turn mushy.
👪 Serving Size
This apple and sage pork chops recipe makes 4 servings. However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This pork chop recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 5 WW points on my plan. You can further reduce the points in this recipe by using a light butter. Plug the ingredients into the recipe builder in the app to see how much it is on your plan.
❔ Frequently Asked Questions
The best way to cook pork chops to prevent them from drying out is to season them with salt and use a meat thermometer to check for doneness with internal temperature (155 degrees F) so you do not overcook them.
Apples that hold their shape (Granny Smith, Fuji and Honeycrisp) tend to pair well with many pork dishes. Sweet apples also go well with pork.
So, if you are looking for sage pork chop recipes or easy dinner recipes that are a little fancier than the usual fare, this Apple Sage Pork Chops is the one.
Hey, it's meat with a sauce!
⭐ Reviews
Did you make this recipe? Please RATE THE RECIPE below
Here's what others are saying: "This was so good! we had it last night for dinner and loved every bite 😉 " ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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📋 Apple Sage Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops each about ½ inch thick
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 apple, cored, peeled and sliced into thin wedges green, preferably Granny Smith
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ cup apple juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground sage leaves *if using fresh sage, use 2 tsp
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
Garnish:
- fresh sage leaves optional
Instructions
- Peel and cut apples into quarters, then slice out the core. Cut into thick wedges.
- Pat pork dry with paper towels and season pork chops with salt.
- Melt butter with garlic in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. When bubbly, add apple wedges. Turn occasionally, until golden on both side, 2-3 minutes, then remove to a small plate.
- Add pork to pan and cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
- In a small bowl, stir apple juice and Dijon mustard and seasonings.
- Once pork is browned, pour in juice mixture and add apples. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, turning pork occasionally, until cooked through for 5-7 minutes (or until meat thermometer reaches internal temperature of 155 degrees F or 68 degrees C)
- Remove pork and apples from pan.
- Boil sauce, stirring often, until as thick as you desire, 3 to 5 minutes. Return pork chops and apples to pan, then remove from heat.
- Spoon sauce and over pork chops with apples and serve.
Tasty Eats Ronit Penso
This looks so tasty! 🙂
Food Meanderings
Thanks - it is very yummy!
Tasty Eats Ronit Penso
p.s. young lamb has a more subtle smell, and it also depends on what it was fed. But it's really mostly personal. Like cilantro, for example - people either love it or hate it passionately. 🙂
Food Meanderings
I agree - must be a personal thing like cilantro!
thefoodblognet
This looks very delicious, and your post reminds me of when I first ate escargot years ago. I was young and it sounded fancy, and everyone encouraged me to order it. It was smothered in garlic butter and toasted bread crumbs. Then someone told me it was Snails. I've never eaten it again. As you mentioned, its a personal thing. 🙂
Food Meanderings
Thank you and yes, fancy isn't always what it's cracked up to be, is it?! I forgot to mention caviar in my list haha....
Cathy
There is a reason why apple with pork is such a classic combination! The sage leaves make yours look very pretty! I was amused as I began to read about your desire for mutton, expecting the outcome to be much as yours was!
Food Meanderings
Thanks, Cathy!
foodinbooks
Lovely recipe. I made it, omitting the apples, the other night and the combination of sage and pork was divine. I'd not thought about using sage this way, and now it's a keeper. I made it with these Brussels sprouts https://frugalhausfrau.com/2017/02/20/cream-braised-brussels-sprouts/ and it was a heavenly combination!
Food Meanderings
So glad you liked it! And those brussels sprouts look so good too!
The Finer Cookie/Kim
Pork chops and apple sauce was a kid favourite meal. This recipe is all grownup. Looks great. Boy would I love to come home to this meal after a long day. Nice post.
Food Meanderings
Thanks.. I agree - I make it ahead sometimes, then I'm guaranteed to come home to it!
chefkreso
Delicious combo of flavors!
Food Meanderings
Thanks!
Tiffany
This was so good! we had it last night for dinner and loved every bite 😉 Your food list is so interesting! I agree...you need to try many different things to actually have a full culinary experience. I think the strangest thing I have ever eaten is definitely deer heart. I can't say I would eat it again (it's really gamey) but I never regretted trying it.
Terri Gilson
Hi Tiffany- glad you guys loved it! Wow- deer heart?! I am seriously surprised I have never tried it, given my Dad is a deer hunter! But yeah, would probably be like you, thinking, "once is enough" 🙂