Cider Vinegar–glazed Pork Chops With Apples & Raisins

The classic combination of pork and apples develops layers of flavors here—from tangy apples to sweet raisins to tart apple cider vinegar. The warming ginger in the spice rub compliments the apples, as do the hot yellow mustard seeds.

Author

Lior Lev Sercarz, from "Mastering Spice" by Lior Lev Sercarz

Servings

4

Category

Main Course

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons cumin seeds (4 grams
• 1 tablespoon plus 11⁄2 teaspoons dried onion slices (10 grams)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds (4 grams)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger (1 gram)
• 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar (5 grams)
• Coarsely grind the cumin, onion, and mustard together and immediately mix with the ginger and brown sugar. Or mix together 3⁄4 teaspoon pre-ground cumin, 2 1⁄2 teaspoons granulated onion, and 1⁄2 teaspoon pre-ground yellow mustard powder with the ginger and brown sugar.
• 4 (1-inch-thick) boneless center-cut pork chops (1 3⁄4 pounds)
• Kosher salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 peeled Honeycrisp or Fuji apple, cored and wedged
• 1⁄3 cup raisins
• 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Coat the pork chops with the spice mix on all sides and then season the chops with salt.
2. Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the pan (1 to 2 tablespoons) and add the chops right away (you don’t want the oil to get hot first). Reduce the heat to medium so the chops sizzle steadily. 
3. Flip the pork chops and add the apples. Cook the apples alongside the pork chops, turning once until they are golden brown on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop should read 150°F.
4. Transfer the pork chops to a plate to rest and add raisins to the pan. Add the vinegar to the pan and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the juice reduces to a syrupy consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
5. Serve the apple-raisin glaze over the pork.