Baked boneless pork shoulder chops stuffed with bacon, sage, apples and apple sauce with a wonderfully delicious cider and butter sauce.
This dish will take around an hour and a quarter to make, but once it goes in the oven, you have around 45 minutes to prepare your sides, or just chill out, relax and finish the cider!
Apple and Bacon Pork Chops
"Meat and two veg" is pretty much the bedrock of much of British cooking. It is often thought of as "dull" and a bit "prosaic", but done well, it is fantastic.
The star of dishes like this is the main element, and a banging sauce or gravy. I've got plenty of examples on my website, dishes like my Barnsley chops with a port sauce, chicken Balmoral with a whisky sauce and honey and mustard pork chops spring to mind.
The star in this instance is baked pork shoulder chops stuffed with sage, bacon, sweet apple and tart apple sauce. The flavours are classic combinations that work exceptionally well together.
Pork shoulder is both delicious and gloriously cheap, which ticks even more boxes as far as I am concerned.
As for the sauce, of course, we are going to stick with the apple vibe! I've created a very simple cider and ham stock sauce that is thickened with a beurre manié (flour and butter mix).
It's sauce that will come together whilst the pork is resting for a few minutes.
All you've then gotta do is choose your sides, and you have yet another meal that demonstrates that meat and two veg can and is a beautiful way to eat!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pork loin chops?
Yes, but if they are bone-in, you will need to cut them from the top, which will mean you need to remove the rind.
Pork loin chops are also best cooked for less time. I would follow my recipe, but only cook them for 12-15 minutes in the oven.
Where can I get thick-cut pork shoulder chops?
Most pork shoulder chops or steaks are fairly thin if you buy them from the supermarket.
A butcher will cut them to order, or you can take a couple of slices from the end of a pork shoulder roasting joint. This is the approach I usually take; it is really cheap, and pork shoulder is endlessly versatile.
I use it in recipes like my pork vindaloo, Cypriot afelia and pork and apple pie.
What sort of cider do you use?
I have been using Aspall premier cru cyder in a lot of my cooking in recent years, it is stunning stuff.
But you can use any dry cider, and it will be fine. Just avoid sweet and flavoured ciders.
NOTE FOR US-BASED READERS!
Cider in most of the world means alcohol, so you are looking for a hard cider for this recipe.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, this dish is remarkably good when it is reheated. The fat content in pork shoulder prevents it from becoming too tough when it is reheated.
It will be fine in the fridge for a day or two, and it should be reheated in a moderate oven until piping hot all the way through.
Serving Suggestions
Aside from the wonderful cider gravy, I have served these stuffed pork chops with some simple buttery herby boiled potatoes and some roasted tenderstem broccoli.
It really is a dish that thrives as part of that whole "meat and two veg" ethos.
If you are not watching the calories, then mash is a great option with this recipe.
Of course, mashed potato is the obvious option, but I'll take any opportunity to rave about celeriac mash. Its sweet and nutty flavour is arguably better with this dish than its spud-based brethren.
Sticking with spuds, chucking some crushed roasted new potatoes on the plate makes the best use of having the oven on for the pork.
If broccoli isn't your thing, then great alternatives for the greens on this plate include: roasted asparagus, green beans amandine and buttered savoy cabbage.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- Oven.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan. Not nonstick if possible.
- Kitchen tongs/spatula.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- A fine mesh sieve to strain the sauce. Optional.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Stuffed Pork Shoulder Chops Recipe with Apple and Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 Thick-Cut Boneless Pork Shoulder Chops Around 200g each
- 6 Rashers Smoked Streaky Bacon Around 125g Total
- ½ Small Sweet Apple
- 2 tablespoon Apple Sauce
- 10-12 Sage Leaves
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt
For the Sauce:
- 125 ml Dry Cider ½ Cup (Hard Cider in the US)
- 125 ml Ham Stock ½ Cup (Chicken or vegetable stock also works
- 35 g Butter 2 Tbsp
- 1 teaspoon Flour
Instructions
- Place the bacon rashers in a single layer in the base of a 28cm or 11" frying pan, place it on the hob and set the temperature to low-medium and cook for 12-15 minutes.The idea is to render some fat from the bacon in order to sear the pork chops.
- Cut a pocket in the pork for the stuffing.Do this by placing the pork shoulder chop on a chopping board and cutting parallel with the board into the chop. Cut towards the rind of the chop.
- Core the apple, cut it in half (you only need half) and finely slice it. Place the slices in acidulated water to prevent them from browning.
- Once the bacon has had its cooking time, stuff the pork chops.Season the inside of the pork chops with the black pepper, then spread a quarter of the apple sauce on the pork. Add half of the apple slices, followed by the bacon and then the rest of the apple sauce.Fold over the top layer of the pork chop and use toothpicks to hold everything together.
- Return the pan that you cooked the bacon in to a high heat, adding more oil if the bacon has not given off enough fat.Season the pork chops with coarse sea salt, then sear them in the pan, starting with the rind first, then onto one side, and then flip.
- Transfer to a preheated oven at 170°C or 340°F and cook for 45-50 minutes.
- Whilst the pork is cooking, mash the butter with flour and set it aside.
- Once the pork has had its cooking time, remove it from the pan and set it aside to rest. for 5-7 minutes
- Return the pan to a high heat and add the cider, and reduce it by three-quarters, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any residue.
- Pour in the ham stock and reduce the sauce by a third.
- Whisk in the butter and flour mix and cook until it thickens a little; have a taste and season with salt as required, then strain and serve as a sauce for the pork chops.