Apple Cranberry Pork Chop with Stuffing and Mixed Vegetables

Fruit-simmered pork on a bed of stuffing and vegetables

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 738kcal

Author: Daisy Merano

Melt the butter in a pan. Add the cooking oil.
3 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Once the oil and butter gets hot, pan-fry the pork chops for 3 minutes per side.
3 pieces pork chops
Pour the water in the pan. Let boil. Add the applesauce and cranberries. Cover and cook in low heat for 35 minutes. Add more water if needed.
16 oz. applesauce, 1 cup water, ½ cup fresh cranberries
Add the sugar and cinnamon. Cover and cook in low heat for 12 minutes. Make sure that there is enough liquid. Otherwise, add water and applesauce.
¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Once the sauce reduces and gets thick, add salt and pepper to taste.
Salt and pepper to taste
Arrange the cooked stuffing and cooked mixed veggies in a plate and then add the apple cranberry pork chops.
3 cups cooked stuffing of your choice, 1 ½ cups mixed vegetables cooked in butter
Serve for dinner. Share and enjoy!

Watch the sauce thickness early. I don’t wait until the end to check the sauce. If it looks too dry during the first 35-minute simmer, I pour in a splash of water or applesauce to keep it from burning.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. When I brown the pork chops, I use a wide pan. If the chops are packed too tight, they steam instead of sear, and that hurts the final flavor.
Use real applesauce, not fruit puree. I’ve tested this with both, and fruit puree tends to be thinner and sometimes sweetened differently. Applesauce gives the sauce its body and holds the seasoning better.
Frozen cranberries work too. I’ve made this plenty of times with frozen cranberries when fresh ones weren’t in season. Just thaw them first and pat dry to keep the sauce from turning watery.
Skip baking and stay with the stovetop. I’ve baked similar pork recipes before, but this one tastes fresher and more vibrant when cooked fully in a pan. It gives better control over the sauce and timing.