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How to Make the Best Pork Chops for a Cozy Winter Dinner
Join me as I prepare the best Pork Chops for a cozy winter dinner. These Pork Chops are the best because they are thick-cut bone-in chops topped with scrumptious Caramelized Onions and Fried Apples.
I also show you how to make a delicious German Potato Salad, and then I round out the meal with Homemade Sauerkraut and Sweet Fermented Red Cabbage that also have accompanying videos and printable recipes:
- Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions and Fried Apples Recipe
- German Potato Salad Recipe
- How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut
- Fermented Sweet Red Cabbage Recipe
*Affiliates note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. My content may contain affiliate links to products and services. If you click through and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay.
Create a Cozy Winter Dinner Menu
Rather than just one simple recipe, I thought it would be helpful to create an entire winter meal for you to take advantage of some of the traditional “nutrient dense” foods we have been learning how to make.
Plus, in my recipe video, I share the importance of why you should buy pork chops—or any meat for that matter—on the bone. And it has a lot more to do than just having bones leftover to make nutritious bone broth. But that is certainly a side benefit!
Our cozy winter dinner meal includes:
- Pork Chops
- German Potato Salad
- Sauerkraut
- Red Cabbage
In this video, I show you how to make the Pork Chops and German Potato Salad. Plus, if you read on, I share links to the videos and printable recipes for how to make Sauerkraut and Sweetened Fermented Red Cabbage.
Making a German Potato Salad
In addition to making the pork chops in my tutorial video, I also show you how to make German Potato Salad, and I put my own spin on it. Instead of using the bacon grease for part of the salad dressing, I replace it with olive oil.
If you have found digesting bacon grease difficult, you might enjoy this slightly lighter version that I have found to be equally tasty as the original recipe. And thanks to the bits of chopped bacon, you won’t miss out on any flavor!
More Side Dishes for Pork Chops
In addition to German Potato Salad, no pork chop meal would be complete without Sauerkraut and Red Cabbage. These are the perfect accompaniments to this cozy meal, not only in flavor but to aid in digestion since they are fermented foods.
Traditional Sauerkraut and Sweet Fermented Red Cabbage are easy to make, and I show you how in the step-by-step videos below.
More Dinner Recipes
Looking for more cozy dinner meal ideas? Be sure to watch the following recipe videos where I share how to make:
- Homemade Meatloaf Recipe – Best Ever!
- How to Make Cioppino – An Italian Fish Stew Recipe
- Homemade Stuffed Shells with 1-Minute Tomato Sauce
I also show you how to make two wonderfully easy chicken dinners perfect for beginners, including:
- Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner for Beginners (Can be ready in 45 minutes!)
- New to Cooking Traditional Nutrient Dense Foods? Start With a Roast Chicken (Make a whole Roast Chicken in a cast-iron frying pan.)
Both recipes are complete meals you can each make in one pan!
More Ideas for Tasty Meals
How about Breakfast for Dinner? If you’re looking for an easy recipe that comes together in minutes and can make not only a wonderful breakfast or brunch idea, but is a great dinner idea too, then be sure to try my French Toast recipe. This is another classic quick and easy recipe perfect for beginners!
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Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions and Fried Apples
Equipment
- Wide sauté pan or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 Pork chops, thick-cut bone-in
- Salt
- Pepper
- 6 tbsp Butter, divided
- 3 Onions, yellow or white, sliced into thin strips
- 3 Apples, preferably firm, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2 cups Apple cider or apple juice
Instructions
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a wide saucepan or Dutch oven on medium heat.
- Generously salt and pepper one side of the pork chops.
- Once the butter has melted and is sizzling in the pan, place the seasoned side down of the pork chops into the pan.
- Salt and pepper the top side of the pork chops.
- Sear the pork chops on each side for approximately 3 minutes until they develop a golden-brown crust.
- Remove the pork chops to a platter and set them aside.
- Add onions to the pan and caramelize. This process takes approximately 10 minutes.
- Add the pork chops back into the pan by placing them on top of the onions.
- Pour the apple cider into the pan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and allow to simmer for one hour on medium low heat.
- After one hour, remove the pork chops and onions from the pan to a clean platter and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the pan and allow it to dissolve in the apple cider. Add the apples and toss well. (See video.)
- Bring the mixture up to a medium simmer, cover, and allow the entire contents to simmer for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove the lid, turn the heat to high, and allow the liquid to begin to thicken. This may take only about 1 minute. Watch closely and stir well to make sure the apples do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Once they are coated with the thickened apple cider, they are done.
- Plate a pork chop and top with the onions and apples. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
German Potato Salad
Equipment
- Medium stock pot or saucepan to boil potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold You can substitute another variety of thin-skinned potato.
- 1 tsp Salt You will need additional salt for the water in which you are boiling the potatoes.
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tsp Sucanat In a pinch, you can use white sugar. You can also substitute honey. If you use honey, dissolve it first in the apple cider vinegar.
- 1 tbsp Mustard, preferably a grainy variety
- 1/2 cup Apple cider vinegar, preferably raw
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 bunch Green onions, sliced thin crosswise
- 4 slices Bacon, cooked and chopped fine
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Boil potatoes in well-salted water for approximately 10 minutes until fork tender.
- While potatoes are boiling, prepare the dressing. Mix vinegar, salt, pepper, Sucanat, and mustard in a bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Give the jar a good shake until everything is well mixed.
- Remove the lid and add the olive oil. Replace the lid and give the jar another good shake to help emulsify the dressing.
- Once cooked, drain the potatoes and place into a serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the potatoes while they are still hot and toss well. (See video.)
- Add green onions and bacon to the potatoes. Toss well and serve hot or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Favorite Kitchen Supplies
- Favorite Aprons
- Whisk
- Silica Gel Packets (Helps keep moisture from building up in your mix)
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- 8-Quart Slow-Cooker
- Fat Separator (Clever kitchen device to help you decant bone broth)
- Flour Sack Towels
- Masontops Fermentation Kit (promo code below)
- Mockmill Grain Grinder and Whole Grains (promo code below)
Use promo code MARYSNST for a one-time 15% off Masontops and Breadsmart products on Amazon.com.
Use my Mockmill affiliate link for a special one-time 5% discount on Mockmill Stone Grain Mill products, including the new Flake Lover's Flaker. (The Mockmill discount will appear when you checkout.)
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Recommended Reading
**Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, a medical professional, a dietician, or a nutritionist. All content found on the MarysNest.com website, including text, images, videos, eBooks or eGuides, social media, or other formats, were created solely for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or proper nutritional advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have watched in a video or read on this website. Use caution when following the recipe in this video. The creator and publisher of this video and website will not be held responsible for any adverse effects that may arise from the use of this recipe and method or any other recipe and method on this website or corresponding video channel.
This was a fabulous recipe!
I had never simmered pork chops in apple cider vinegar and was a little skeptical.
It was absolutely delicious!
Thank you for sharing!
Hi Melissa, So glad to hear that you enjoyed this!! Love, Mary
Our favorite kind of meal! This is similar to what my boys request for their birthday meals (in June and July!). I love sweet and savory foods. Thank you Mary! Happy Sunday!
Hi Kristyn,
I am SO happy to hear this!! And yes, this recipe can be delicious to enjoy anytime of the year!
Love and God bless,
Mary