Pork Chops with Braised Red Cabbage

When the year begins, I always yearn for a lighter take on foods–especially after spending the holiday season indulging in treats. Looking through the January 1986 issue of Bon Appétit, I found 11 recipes for “Light Entrées” in an article written by Carol P. Robertson. (The abundance of recipes in every article is another reason I am fond of these old issues of the magazine.)

Most folks wouldn’t associate pork and cabbage with any light cooking, but Robertson offers a recipe for braised red cabbage with pork chops that looked pretty appealing. While the cooking begins on the stove, the oven does most of the work.

Starting the braise

Robertson combined all of the cabbage ingredients at once in her recipe. I chose to sauté in steps, to give the onion and garlic a chance to mellow out.

Next, I reduced the amount of red wine that the recipe called for and added a bit of chicken stock, hoping to tame the pungency of the braising liquid.

A simple approach for the chops

Robertson’s technique of browning the pork chops in dry skillet seasoned with kosher salt was intriguing to me. I debated whether to season the chops with the herb and spice mixture before browning, but finally decided to give her method a try.

And I was very pleased with how flavorful the pork chops turned out with this approach.

All of the components in the cabbage mixture came together to play off of the chops well.

The vibrant color of red cabbage brings a bright note to any winter table. It generously shares its hue with the red onion and gives a stained glass look to the tart apple used in the dish. With lightly steamed new potatoes, this dish is a good addition to a winter menu looking to spare a few calories, but not the taste..

Pork Chops with Braised Red Cabbage

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie

Light yet satisfying pork and cabbage dish

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 red onion sliced
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 green apple cored and thinly sliced
• 1 ½ pounds red cabbage --thinly sliced
• ¾ cup red wine
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt --divided, see below
• 4 center cut boneless pork chops about 8 oz each and 1 inch thick
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon ground dried sage
• ½ t. freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 2 T. minced fresh parsley

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a ovenproof large pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat on a stovetop. Add the sliced red onion and ½ t. of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the minced garlic and cook an additional minute, stirring occasionally. Add the sliced green apple and cook 1 more minute. Add the cabbage, stirring well to mix together ingredients,. Pour in red wine, chicken stock, and red wine vinegar, stirring well. Cover the pot and place in oven.
• Bake cabbage mixture for one hour, stirring the contents every 20 minutes or so.
• About 10 minutes before the cabbage mixture reaches the one hour point, heat ½ t. of salt over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet on the stovetop. Add the pork chops to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes on one side, until browned. Mix together remaining ½ t. salt, dried thyme, dried sage, black pepper, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
• Flip the pork chops, sprinkling half of the herb-spice mixture on the browned side.
• Remove cabbage mixture from oven and stir well. Transfer the pork chops from the skillet to the top of the cabbage mixture, placing the spiced side down on the cabbage. Sprinkle remaining herb-spice mixture evenly over pork chops. Return to oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 145 degrees. Allow to rest 3-5 minutes after removing from the oven.
• If an abundance of liquid remains in the pot, remove the pork chops and cabbage with a slotted spoon and boil the liquid until it thickens. Spoon over the cabbage, nestle pork chops on top, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Notes

Adapted from Carol P. Robertson in Bon Appétit (January 1986)