Apple Butter Pork Chops
Juicy Apple Butter Pork Chops simmered with sweet apple butter, tangy BBQ sauce, and caramelized onions for a flavorful dinner in no time.
A 35-MINUTE DINNER RECIPE
If you’re looking for a cozy, flavorful dinner that feels special but comes together with just a handful of ingredients, these Apple Butter Pork Chops are the answer! Juicy pork chops are seared to perfection in a pan, topped with tender caramelized onions, and simmered in a sweet and tangy blend of apple butter and barbecue sauce. It’s a comforting skillet meal that pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes, rice, or your favorite roasted veggies!
This was incredible. So glad I found this recipe.
– Janice
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
If you don’t have apple butter, you can use unsweetened applesauce mixed with a Tablespoon of brown sugar, the flavor will be lighter.
I haven’t personally tried it but I think you could. You would want to caramelize the onions first and sear the pork chops then place them into the slow cooker covered in the apple butter/bbq sauce mixture. I would be inclined to use a thicker cut pork chop so they don’t dry out. Cook on low for about 4-6 hours. No other liquid is needed as the pork chops will also produce liquid as they cook.
These pork chops pair perfectly with mashed potatoes or rice. Egg noodles would be another good option. I think my favorite thing I want to try next with these would be Fried Apples. They’d be great with whatever veggies you enjoy and a big green salad. Complete the meal with some Dinner Rolls and enjoy.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Cooked pork chops can be frozen with the sauce for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- boneless pork chops– I used chops that were about 1 inch thick. You can use bone-in pork chops if that’s what you have. You may need to adjust the cooking time, as they’ll need more time and I always suggest using a meat thermometer to ensure that you get them cooked properly to the right temp before serving them. Additionally, if you don’t have pork chops, I think you could use chicken tenders or chicken breasts. Use a meat thermometer to be sure they’re cooked through before serving.
- yellow onion – don’t like onion? Leave them out. I would perhaps season the pork chops with a little onion powder as well to bump up the flavor.
- barbecue sauce– if you don’t want to use BBQ sauce, you can just leave it out and use all apple butter. You can use whatever brand of bbq sauce you like, or use Homemade BBQ sauce.
- apple butter– You can use whatever apple butter you like. It doesn’t matter if it’s store bought or Homemade Apple Butter.
HOW TO MAKE APPLE BUTTER PORK CHOPS:
Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft and caramelized. Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside. In the same skillet, add the pork chops. Sear for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until nicely browned.
In a small bowl, stir together the barbecue sauce and apple butter until smooth. Return the onions to the skillet, spreading them over and around the pork chops. Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the pork chops and onions.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145°F and the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and let the pork chops rest in the sauce for 1-2 minutes before serving over a bed of mashed potatoes or rice. Enjoy!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Apple Butter Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil (or oil of your choice)
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce
- ¾ cup apple butter
Instructions
- Season both sides of 4 boneless pork chops with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 1 medium yellow onion, sliced and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft and caramelized. Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the pork chops. Sear for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until nicely browned. You aren't cooking them all the way through yet.
- In a small bowl, stir together 3/4 cup barbecue sauce and 3/4 cup apple butter until smooth.
- Return the onions to the skillet, spreading them over and around the pork chops. Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the pork chops and onions.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145°F and the sauce is thickened.
- Remove from heat and let the pork chops rest in the sauce for 1-2 minutes before serving over a bed of mashed potatoes or rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I’m a fan of this recipe. I did the pork chops and then a second batch using impossible meatballs from Walmart for a vegetarian. Both were great! I did it with egg noodles, but since it’s very similar in flavor to sweet & sour Asian dishes, I’m going make it with rice next time. The more caramelized the onion, the better the flavor for sure.
This was incredible. So glad I found this recipe.
This sounds wonderful. How do you think it would be with pumpkin butter?
I think it depends on the spices in that particular type of pumpkin butter. Sometimes there is nutmeg and cloves in pumpkin butter and that can be a bit too strong for some folks. Depends on your taste preferences 🙂