Make-Ahead Apple Pork Chops
This freezer meal is a little bit more involved in terms of the prep ahead, but it’s worth it. The apples make these Apple Pork Chops the perfect Fall recipe. If you have an apple tree, you can even harvest your own apples to use. These fall flavors are nice to bring indoors.
Apple Pork Chops Recipe:
- 4 pork chops
- 4 fresh apples (more if you are using smaller ones from your backyard)
- 1/2 jar of apple butter
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 4 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt*
*You can make your own seasoning salt by mixing equal parts salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder or you can purchase it from the store.
Season both sides of each pork chop with the seasoning salt blend. Place the pork chops in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove the excess air and seal.
Slice and core each apple.
In a large skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add the apple slices and allow them to cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add in 1/2 of the jar of apple butter, brown sugar, and chili powder. Stir well to combine. Pour in the cream and continue to stir. Bring it all to a light boil. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. Pour the cooled apple mixture into a medium-sized resealable freezer bag and then seal it. Staple the bag to the pork chop bag above the seals and freeze.
On the day of cooking, thaw.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the pork chops to the preheated skillet and cook each side for about 3-4 minutes.
Pour a spoonful of the apple topping on top while it cooks. Pour the rest of the apple mixture into the skillet on top of the pork. Serve hot. Even though this meal requires cooking the apples and sauce ahead of freezing which is more involved in the prep than most of my freezer meals, it is still quite fast to prepare. I like to do a mix of more time-consuming make-ahead meals with simpler ones. It provides more variety in my freezer.
Check out these easy freezer meals that are also great for Fall:
Apple Maple Chicken Dump Recipe
- 4 pork chops
- 4 fresh apples more if you are using smaller ones from your backyard
- 1/2 jar of apple butter
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 4 Tbsp. brown sugar packed
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt*
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Season both sides of each pork chop with the seasoning salt blend. Place the pork chops in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove the excess air and seal.
-
Slice and core each apple.
-
In a large skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add the apple slices and allow them to cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
-
Add in 1/2 of the jar of apple butter, brown sugar, and chili powder. Stir well to combine. Pour in the cream and continue to stir. Bring it all to a light boil. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.
-
Pour the cooled apple mixture into a medium-sized resealable freezer bag. Seal. Staple the bag to the pork chop bag above the seals and freeze.
-
On the day of cooking, thaw.
-
Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the pork chops to the preheated skillet and cook each side for about 3-4 minutes.
-
Pour a spoonful of the apple topping on top while it cooks. Pour the rest of the apple mixture into the skillet on top of the pork. Serve hot.
*You can make your own seasoning salt by mixing equal parts salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder or you can purchase it from the store.