Slow Cooked Apple Bourbon Smothered Pork Chops

Recipe by The View From the Great Island

Slow Cooked Apple Bourbon Smothered Pork Chops ~ the pork braises to fork tenderness in a rich gravy made with cider and bourbon in the oven or crock pot.

Ingredients

• 4 center cut pork loin chops
• salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 large shallots ( peeled and thinly sliced or chopped)
• 1 large apple (any variety)
• 3 fresh sage sprigs, or about 1/4 cup leaves
• olive oil
• sauce
• ½ cup bourbon
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup apple cider
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• salt
• fresh cracked black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 275F (check with an oven thermometer)
2. Whisk the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
3. Coat the bottom of a large cast iron braising pan with olive oil and heat on medium high until hot but not smoking.
4. Season the chops with salt and pepper on both sides, and then brown them for 2 minutes per side in the hot pan. Set aside on a plate.
5. Reduce the heat and add the shallots to the pan, along with a splash of water if it's very dry. Saute the shallots for a couple of minutes, until softened.
6. Put the chops back in the pan with the shallots, and add the chopped apples and sage. Pour the sauce over all. Cover tightly and cook for 3 hours at 275F. Check after one hour to make sure the pot is just barely simmering, not boiling. If your oven is too hot, turn it down.
7. Remove the pork chops to a plate. Remove the sage sprigs, and puree the gravy. Spoon it over the pork chops.

View the recipe instructions at The View From the Great Island