Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Skillet Applesauce

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork rib chops, 1 inch thick (about 10 oz each)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 large tart apples such as Granny Smith, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of kosher salt, for the applesauce

Before you cook

• Pat the chops dry and season them all over with the salt and pepper, then let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Peel, core and roughly chop the apples.
• Smash the garlic cloves.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
2. Lay the chops in the pan and sear them for 4 minutes without moving them, until a brown crust forms.
3. Flip the chops and add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the sage leaves and the smashed garlic.
4. Tilt the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the chops for 3 to 4 minutes, until the meat reads 140 degrees Fahrenheit at the bone.
5. Move the chops to a platter and tent them loosely with foil to rest.
6. Pour off the excess fat and set the skillet back over medium heat with the remaining tablespoon of butter.
7. Add the chopped apples, cider, brown sugar, vinegar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
8. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the apples slump and turn soft.
9. Mash the apples roughly with a fork, leaving plenty of texture, and simmer uncovered for 2 minutes to thicken.
10. Serve each chop with a generous spoonful of the warm applesauce alongside.