Slow Cooked Apple Bourbon Smothered Pork Chops ~ that's a delicious mouthful! The pork cooks low and slow in the oven, or crock pot, and becomes fork tender in a rich gravy made with cider and bourbon.
2large shallotspeeled and thinly sliced or chopped
1large appleany variety, peeled and chopped
3fresh sage sprigsor about 1/4 cup leaves
olive oil
sauce
1/2cupbourbon
1/2cupapple cider vinegar
1/4cupapple cider
1TbspWorcestershire sauce
2Tbspdark brown sugar
salt
fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 275F (check with an oven thermometer)
Whisk the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
Coat the bottom of a large cast iron braising pan with olive oil and heat on medium high until hot but not smoking.
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.
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.
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.
Remove the pork chops to a plate. Remove the sage sprigs, and puree the gravy. Spoon it over the pork chops.
Notes
Nothing says you have to puree the gravy, if you like it thin, leave it as i