Recipes

Slow cooked pork chops with apples and dates

slow cooked pork chops with dates

I find pork chops quite uninteresting, even though pork is my favourite meat. Of the cuts, I think the chop is the least exciting and I often find myself shallow frying it and adding interest by means of a mustard sauce of some sort. This time I decided to treat the chop as any other cut that can be slow cooked (think pulled pork…).

two plates of slow cooked pork chops

This is attempt #2. And because it worked and came out delicious, it’s now worth a post. Attempt #1 failed due to a series of mistakes, the most obvious of which was to think it was a good idea to try something completely new and set the oven to cook it for 4 hours whilst going about my daily affairs. It was edible but just because I have a good nose and smelled the stupid idea before the burnt apples at the bottom of my prized pot roast pan caught fire. Mistakes 2, 3 and 4 were not enough liquid for such a long cooking time, oven too high (even though it was low) and a pan that doesn’t seal completely, and so lets some of the all-important moisture escape during cooking.

Pork chops ingredients

 

So I added more liquid, opted for completely sealing the oven-proof dish with foil and lowered the cooking temperature. And kept an eye on it so I could calculate the ideal time in the oven too.

Ok, you may be thinking pork + apples + dates + thyme… anyone can make those work. And you’re right, there is no magic here. I just found one of many ways to put these things together and make something yummy. And here I am sharing it with you, hoping you will give it a try and that it makes you happy too.

If you do, make sure when you cut through the meat and stab it with your fork that you grab some apple and date as well for the perfect mouthful.

Slow cooked pork chops with apples and dates

Slow cooked pork chops with apples and dates
Print Recipe
A different way to cook pork chops - slowly in the oven, with added sweetness from apples and dates.
Servings
2 people
Servings
2 people
Slow cooked pork chops with apples and dates
Print Recipe
A different way to cook pork chops - slowly in the oven, with added sweetness from apples and dates.
Servings
2 people
Servings
2 people
Ingredients
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven at 140 degrees Celsius (275 Fahrenheit, Gas Mark 1). Season the pork chops with salt flakes and black pepper and reserve. Prepare the oven-proof dish by spraying the bottom with olive oil (if you don't have a spray, use a brush to spread the oil thinly). Place a few knobs of butter in the area you will lay the apples and chops.
    Pork chops seasoned
  2. Slice the Granny Smith apple thinly and lay the slices on top of the butter, slightly overlapping. Thinly slice the garlic and the shallots and chop the dates into quarters (or halves if you prefer).
    Apple slices on butter
  3. Seal the pork chops in a frying pan with a little olive oil, just enough to brown all sides.
    Frying the pork chops
  4. Place the chops on top of the apple slices. Then pile the garlic slices, shallots and dates on top of the chops and finally the thyme sprigs.
  5. In a jug, mix the cider vinegar with the paprika, the cumin seeds and the cider and then pour over the chops. Cover with aluminium foil, sealing well.
    Pork chops ready for oven
  6. Place in the oven and let it cook for 4 hours. Remove the foil after this time and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.
    Pork chops ready
Recipe Notes

Want more slow cooked recipes? Check this beef pot roast and the perfect pulled pork.

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2 Comments

  • Reply Andrea February 5, 2016 at 12:40

    Looks delicious!

    • Reply The Copper Kettle February 22, 2016 at 14:05

      Thank you Andrea! It’s not the handsomest of dishes but it surely tastes lovely. Thank you for dropping by (even though I have struggled to keep the blog going).

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