The first time I ever heard of anyone putting apples and onions together in was when I read the Little House Books as a kid. In it, Laura Ingalls talked about fried apples and onions and how much her Pa enjoyed them. We never added onions to our fried apples when I was growing up. However, I can attest that the combination of sweet apples and onions sweetened with brown sugar and cinnamon is, indeed, something to talk about.

I found this recipe on The Spice House website. I made a few tweaks and changes to suit my needs, but the basic ingredients and approach are the same.

INGREDIENTS:

4 center cut pork chops (I use bone-in because I love the added flavor, but use what you prefer)
2-3 apples, sliced in fairly thin wedges
1 medium red onion, cut fairly thin wedges
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sweet and smoky pork rub, whatever brand you prefer
olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into 4 pieces

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rub pork chops on both sides with the pork rub and let rest. Spray a 9 x 13 pan or baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or brush with olive oil.

Mix together the cinnamon and sugar.

Toss the apples and onions together with the sugar and place on the bottom of the baking dish. Place a pat of the butter in each of the four areas of the dish where a pork chop will rest.

In a cast iron skillet, sear pork chops on medium-high heat with a little olive oil. Cook for about 2 – 2 1/2 minutes per side until a nice crust forms. Lay pork chops on top of seasoned apples.

Cover dish with foil and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until pork is done (145 degrees internal temperature). Remove meat from pan and let rest at least 5 minutes before serving. Check the apples and onions. They should be fork tender. If they are still crisp, return to the oven for a little longer.

Serve pork chops with apples and onions on the side.