Rosemary and Lavender Brined Pork Chops with Calvados Flambéed Apples
Thick-cut bacon and a flash of flame adds yumminess to this classic apple and pork chop duo
Recipe by: Gabrielle
SERVES: 6
Wine Pairing: 2012 Gabrielle Collection Juxtaposition Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOKING TIME: 25 minutes TOTAL TIME: Overnight + 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
BRINE
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 pouch GC Napa Valley Brine Mix: Natural Tuscan Rosemary Culinary Lavender
- 2 cups cold filtered water, divided
- 2 cups apple cider, unfiltered
PORK CHOPS
- 6 pork chops, ¾” thick bone-in, approx. 6 oz. each
- 3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil (or canola oil)
- 6 slices lean bacon, thick-cut
SAUCE
- ¼ cup GC Napa Valley Natural Savory Proprietary Blend EVOO
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced into 3/8” wedges
- 1 Tbsp. GC Napa Valley Natural Tuscan Rosemary Infused Honey
- 1 yellow onion, medium, diced into ½” pieces
- 2 Tbsp. parsley, fresh, roughly chopped
- ½ cup beef broth, organic low sodium
- ½ cup 2016 Pietro Family Cellars Chardonnay
- 3 Tbsp. Calvados Brandy (apple brandy)
- 2 tsp. GC Napa Valley Natural Sage Finishing Sea Salt
- 2 tsp. GC Napa Valley Natural Meyer Lemon Tellicherry Pepper
GARNISH
- 3 sage or parsley sprigs
- Optional: 6 large kale leaves
TO PREPARE
- Prepare brine: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup filtered water, 2 cups apple cider to a boil. Add Brine Mix and garlic. Cook 10 minutes over low heat. Turn off heat. Add 1 cup cold filtered water.
- Brine pork chops: Place chops into a 1-gallon Ziploc bag; pour brine to cover chops completely. Refrigerate overnight, then remove chops from brine. Discard brine, rinse chops and pat dry with paper towel.
- Cook bacon: Heat large fry pan on medium heat. Add bacon, cook until brown (not overly crisp) and remove to a paper towel to absorb fat. Discard bacon fat from pan, wipe with paper towel and reuse to cook pork chops.
- Cook pork chops: Heat fry pan on medium high heat, add grapeseed oil then add pork chops, sear 4-5 minutes per side (can also grill or broil). Remove pan from heat, set aside. Chops should be soft to the touch.
- Prepare sauce: Heat Savory EVOO on medium heat in a fry pan. Add onion, cook 5 minutes, add apples and parsley, cook 5 minutes, then add Rosemary Infused Honey, beef broth, juices from pork chops and Chardonnay. Cook 5 minutes.
- To flambée: Add Calvados Brandy to the sauce, cook 30 seconds to heat, then ignite. Stir until flame has died.
- Put pork chops into pan with sauce, cook each side 3 minutes then remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with Sage Finishing Salt and Lemon Tellicherry Pepper.
TO SERVE
- For a colorful wine country presentation: Partially cover barrel stave serving tray with large kale leaves to prevent juices from dripping though staves. Arrange chops over kale, pour apples and sauce over each chop,
then top with whole bacon slices. Garnish platter with fresh sage or parsley sprigs. Substitute with a white serving platter. - Compliment the pork chops with Turmeric Barley: Mound barley on platter, lay root vegetables on barley and sprinkle with crispy whole sage leaves. Place chops around the barley, pour flambeed apples on top and finish with bacon slices. Add a side dish of Kale Citrus Salad. Delicious!
SHOPPING LIST
- 1 bottle 16 oz. filtered water
- 1 qt. apple cider, unfiltered
- 6 pork chops, ¾” thick bone-in 6 oz. ea
- 1 lb. thick-cut lean bacon
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 Granny Smith apples
- 1 box 32 fl. oz. low sodium beef broth
- 1 1-gallon Ziploc bag
- 1 bottle Calvados Brandy (apple brandy) Substitute with brandy
- 1 bunch sage, fresh
- Optional: 1 bunch kale, whole leaf
