Pork Chops with Apple Cabbage Slaw

Here’s an easy recipe that makes a great dinner and leaves plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.  Best of all, it can be ready in barely more time than it takes to round up and chop up all of the ingredients you need.  So let’s not waste any time and get started!
Gather Up:

• 3 to 4 bone-in pastured pork chops¹
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• ~1 tsp sea salt, divided
• ~1 tsp black pepper, divided
• 3~4 tbsp grass-fed butter
• 1/2 head red cabbage, sliced thinly into long ‘shreds’
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced thinly
• 1/2 red onion, halved and sliced thinly
• 1 green apple, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly
• 2 carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1-1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1-1/2 tbsp honey

Get all of the veggie (and apple) ingredients prepped and into bowls (I prefer to keep them separate until ready to actually cook).  Sprinkle both sides of the pork chops lightly with salt and pepper.

Heat the coconut oil in a large, heavy frying pan on medium-high heat.  Arrange the chops in the pan and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and just cooked through – about 4 minutes per side if you’ve got nice 3/4″ thick chops like these.  When they are done, transfer to a plate, cover with aluminum foil, and set aside.

Next it’s time to make the slaw.  Unless you have a very large frying pan, you’ll need to work in batches.  Return the pan to the heat and add about 1-1/2 tbsp of butter.  While that melts, whisk together in a prep bowl the vinegar, honey, and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper.  Toss into the frying pan half of the cabbage, bell pepper, onion, carrots, and apple.  Stir well to mix and cook until just starting to soften (5 to 7 minutes).  Pour in half of the vinegar/honey mix and stir together for a minute.

Transfer to a serving bowl and cover with foil.  Repeat with the second batch following the same procedure.  When the second batch is done, add it to the first batch and mix the two together.

To serve, arrange a serving of warm slaw on a plate.  Separate a pork chop from the bone and place on top of or next to the slaw.  Finish with a salad of mixed greens, cucumbers, peppers (use the other half of that yellow one), and maybe some mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.  Enjoy!

1 – A note on the quantity of pork chops…or perhaps on the quantity of slaw.  This recipe makes about twice as much slaw as you need to accompany the 3~4 chops.  SO, you can either choose to halve the slaw portion of the recipe or double the number of chops you prepare and really indulge in leftovers (this tastes great post-workout with the little bit of sweetness in the slaw and the proteins in the pork chops).  I’ll leave that decision up to you…