Pork Chops with Apples and Sage

 

2

1/2 cups apple juice

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup kosher (coarse) salt

4

boneless center-cut pork chops, 1/2 inch thick (4 oz each)

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2

teaspoons olive oil

3

Granny Smith apples (about 1 1/4 lb), peeled, sliced

1

tablespoon packed brown sugar

1

tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves

• 1 In large resealable food-storage plastic bag, mix 2 cups of the apple juice, 1/2 cup brown sugar and the salt. Add pork chops; seal bag. Refrigerate 8 hours, turning bag occasionally.
• 2 Drain pork chops, discarding marinade. Pat pork dry; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork chops; cook 3 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 1 to 2 minutes longer on each side or until pork is no longer pink in center. Remove pork chops from skillet; cover to keep warm.
• 3 Add apples to skillet; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar, the sage and remaining 1/2 cup apple juice and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 3 minutes or until apples are soft. Spoon apples over pork chops.