Spice Rubbed Pork with Apple Chutney

With the torrents of rain, that I thankfully missed while away, fall has definitely arrived. Although I love hot weather as much or more than most people, I get to a point in summer when I can't wait for the beautiful colors of fall and the cool crisp air. And that's not to mention all the new dishes inspired by the change in produce and the cooler temperatures. Soups and stews, roasted root vegetables, and hearty winter greens are just some of my favorites come this time of year. One of the beauties of eating seasonal foods is that it's a lot harder to get bored. Some ingredients are only available at certain times of year and therefore get to be enjoyed while they are at their best, then missed as they go out of season, only making the joy of their return that much greater.

One of my fall favorites is the apple. Sure you can easily eat apples year round, and I'm not saying I don't eat them in spring and summer, but there's something about the crisp air of autumn that makes apples taste that much better. Similar to peaches in the summer, apples can be eaten on their own, in desserts and even in savory dishes such as this pork dish with apple chutney. Apples are great in that they are equally tasty (in my opinion) when crisp and tart as they are when soft and cooked down with some sugar and spices. This chutney took only a few minutes to saute together as the pork and vegetables finished cooking. The store had some beautiful boneless pork chops on sale so I went with those. A pork tenderloin would also work but would take a bit longer to cook. Bone-in chops would be very tasty.

I used a spice rub I got as swag from the Blogger Conference I attended back in August. It was a combination of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, rosemary, thyme and a touch of brown sugar. Any spice blend will work or make your own with the ingredients above. I served the pork with a mix of roasted butternut squash, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Toss the cubed squash and potato together with olive oil, salt and pepper, fresh thyme and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Roast at 425F for about 15 minutes  then add the Brussels sprouts, stirring to combine. Roast for another 15-20 minutes until everything is tender.

Spice Rubbed Pork with Apple Chutney (serves 4)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound boneless pork chops (3-4 chops, depending on thickness)
• 2 tbsp spice rub
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 large apple (about 1.5-2 cups chopped). I used a Golden Delicious but any variety would work.
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• Pinch of cloves
• Salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat.
Rub the spice mixture into the pork chops.
When the pan is very hot, oil should be shimmering, place the chops in the pan and don't move them.
Let them caramelize on the first side for about 5 minutes then flip and sear the other side.
Turn the heat down to medium low, cover the chops loosely with tinfoil and cook for another 10-15 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Cook until the pork chops reach about 140F or until light pink in the center.
While the chops are cooking, peel, core and dice the apples.
Heat the butter in a small saute pan over medium heat.
When the butter has melted, add the apples, stirring to coat.
Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pour in about 2 tbsp of water; saute until the apples begin to break down and the water thickens into a sauce, about 8-10 minutes, depending on the crispness of the apple.
The chutney will be slightly sweet but not as sweet as a dessert.

For a printable recipe click here


Spice Rubbed Pork With Apple Chutney