Pure pub classic – tender, sweet-sharp, impossible to resist. Warm spiced apple sauce brings classic comfort, crisp golden crackling crunches loud, light pork jus ties it all.
Prep: less than 30 mins
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serves: Serves 2
Dietary: Egg-free, Nut-free
By Mike Reid
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes
Pork chops with cider glaze score D. Butter basting and sugars nudge it down.
Per serving: 720 kcal, 42g fat (18g sat), 28g carbs (22g sugars), 3g fibre, 48g protein.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the pork chops
- 2 bone-in pork chops, 350–400g/12–14oz each, 3–4cm/1¼–1½in thick, fat cap scored
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 20g/¾oz unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the cider glaze
- 150ml/5fl oz dry cider
- 1½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 10g unsalted butter, cold
For the spiced apple sauce
- 1 Bramley apple, peeled, cored, 1cm cubes
- 2 eating apples, cored, 1cm cubes with skin
- 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
- 50ml/2fl oz apple juice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch ground cloves
- 1 star anise
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp chardonnay vinegar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pork jus
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small or ½ large shallot, finely chopped
- 50ml/2fl oz dry cider
- 250ml/9fl oz pork stock
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 5g unsalted butter, cold
For the crackling
- 200g/7oz pork skin, thoroughly dried
- sea salt
Customise
- No Bramley apples? Cooking apples or 2 extra eating apples work fine.
- Swap cider for apple juice + splash white wine vinegar.
- Use chicken stock if pork stock’s hard to find – still tasty.
Method
Pork Chops & Crackling (start together – 30 mins total)
- Get chops ready – pull pork chops from fridge 30 mins before cooking. Pat bone-dry with paper towel, season both sides generously with sea salt and pepper. Score fat cap if not pre-done. Room temp = even cooking.
- Prep crackling – while chops warm, pat pork skin ultra-dry. Cut 4-5cm strips, light score surface, salt heavily. Oven preheats to 240C/220C fan – hottest setting.
- Crisp the fat – medium-high heat, olive oil in big frying pan. Stand chops fat-side down first – 3-4 mins till fat renders crisp. Don’t move ’em.
- Brown both sides – lay chops flat, 3-4 mins per side till deep golden. Lower heat bit, add butter, garlic, thyme – spoon hot butter over continuously 1-2 mins. Probe hits 60-62C for pink juicy finish.
- Crackling goes in – chops resting (5+ mins), slide salted skin strips onto wire rack over baking tray. Blast 15-20 mins till blistered golden. Extra 5 if needed. Cool, snap into shards.
Sauces (parallel – 20 mins)
- Cider glaze – same pork pan, pour cider to deglaze, scrape crunchy bits. Reduce by 2/3 till syrupy. Off heat, whisk in vinegar, Dijon, brown sugar, cold butter. Glossy magic. Keep warm.
- Apple sauce – saucepan medium heat: Bramley apple, half eating apples, sugar, juice, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, ground ginger. Stir 5-6 mins till cooking apple collapses but eaters hold shape. Chard vinegar, lemon, salt, pepper. Blitz smooth, cool slightly.
- Pork jus – separate pan, sweat shallot gently 3-4 mins till soft (no colour). Cider in, halve it. Pork stock simmers 15-20 mins coating-spoon stage. Cider vinegar finish, whisk cold butter. Shiny.
Plating (2 mins)
- Serve family style – thick slice rested chops, fan on warm plates. Spoon apple sauce beside. Brush pork generously with cider glaze. Drizzle jus, pass rest tableside. Scatter raw apple cubes, crackling shards. Hot pork, happy people.
What can you serve with this
- Roast potatoes – crunchy outside soaks up cider glaze and pork jus.
- Buttered spring greens – cabbage or kale cuts richness, classic partner.
- Creamed leeks – sweet oniony cream loves pork and apple sweetness.
- Pickled red cabbage – sharp vinegary crunch balances everything.