cider-braised pork chops

Tasters preferred 1-inch blade chops for their heft, silky meat, and rich taste. It takes a little longer for these chops to become tender, but the wait is worth it. Pat the chops dry before adding them to the heated Dutch oven—if they have too much moisture, you won’t get a proper sear. Apple cider lent a sweet tartness to the braising mixture and sauce. A bit of fresh thyme provided a heady herbal component. Jarred apple butter added tons of flavor and its natural pectin gave the sauce a thick, glossy consistency. A finishing splash of cider vinegar brightened the apple flavor.

6 bone-in blade-cut pork chops , about 1 inch thick, we prefer boneless pork chops
Salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons EVOO
1 onion , chopped
3 garlic cloves , minced
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup apple butter
1 cup apple cider
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chops in two batches, about 4 minutes per side; transfer to plate.

2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot and cook onion over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, flour, and 2 tablespoons apple butter and cook until onions are coated and mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in cider and thyme, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon, and bring to boil(I usually only make 4 chops at a time so if you're going to use 6, I would double the sauce. It is so yummy!). Add browned chops and any accumulated juices to pot, cover, and transfer to oven. Braise until chops are completely tender, about 1½ hours. (When I made this the first time, 1.5 hours was not enough to get them tender. So the second time I baked them at 250 for 4 hours and it was much better!)

3. Transfer chops to serving platter. Strain sauce, then use a shallow spoon or fat separator to skim off fat. Whisk in vinegar, parsley, and remaining apple butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing sauce at table.

~Kristi G.
Serves 6
Make Ahead: Chops and sauce can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days. To serve, heat sauce and chops together over medium heat until chops are warmed through
I serve it with baked sweet potatoes and a veggie but it would be good with lots of other sides, especially buttered egg noodles.