I haven’t had pork chops in a long time, and figured it would be a nice main dish to go with the sauteed cabbage I wanted to make. I feel like pork chops have a bad reputation for all the kids back in the day that had to eat their moms overcooked versions, but if you do it right they’re great! The cabbage was really good as well, I added chopped apples and vinegar which was the perfect balance of sweet and tang.

Ingredients- (serves 2)

Pork Chops:
2 pork chops, bone-in
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon ground pepper

Braised Cabbage:
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 small purple cabbage, shredded
1 apple, chopped small
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon honey
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix together the brown sugar, cumin, smoked paprika, ginger, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture on both sides of the pork chop. Wrap back up and set aside on the counter. You want the meat to be room temperature when you cook it. Alternatively, you can put in the fridge if you’re not planning to use right away, but make sure you remove it from the fridge and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before putting in the pan.

To make the cabbage, sauté the garlic in olive oil for a minute or so then add the onions, cooking until translucent. Next add the cabbage and apple, and cook until wilted. Add the vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook until the liquid had been absorbed.

While the cabbage cooks, get your pork chops going. Heat a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet. When it’s nice and hot add the pork. Cook for 5-6 minutes each side over medium heat (not too hot!) then plate and cover with aluminum foil for at least 5 minutes. While it’s resting, the meat will continue to cook, which is why you remove it from the pan a little early. You want the internal temperature to be 145 degrees, otherwise it will dry out. You also do not want to cut into the meat until after it’s done resting, otherwise you’ll lose all those juices that would otherwise be redistributed into the meat while it rests. Meat can be intimidating to cook, but if you follow a few simple rules and take your time, you’ll surprise yourself!