Hey, hey Friends!
Who’s ready for the big Thanksgiving feast that’s right around the corner?
Me too Jon Snow, me too.
If you haven’t started defrosting your turkey, this is your friendly reminder to check defrosting times based on the weight of your bird. Because you don’t want to be THAT guy/girl who messes up the turkey on Thanksgiving. Not that I know anything about that.
You can check out this guide for safe thawing instructions from the USDA.
This year, Matt and I are driving down to Southern California to visit his family for the holiday, so no cooking for me! Sometimes it’s fun to be the guest and not the host, but I will miss the excitement of coordinating the kitchen just a TEENY bit. I’m sure a little wine will fix that.
After the big day, we’re driving out to the desert with the family, friends, dirt bikes and quads for a little fun. I can’t wait!
But before we head out and everyone gets lost in the festivities, I wanted to share a brand new recipe to tide you over after all the Thanksgiving leftovers are long gone. And best of all, the only work involved is adding a few ingredients to your slow cooker and letting it do all the work for you, leaving you with more time to spend with your loved ones.
Simply combine two bone-in pork chops with diced apples, warm spices, a little maple syrup and broth, then set on low overnight or throughout the day. When you’re ready to eat, the meat just falls off the bone and melts right in your mouth. Mouthgasm.
Slow Cooker Apple-Spiced Pork Chops
Ingredients:
- 2 bone-in pork chops
- salt, garlic powder, pepper – to taste
- 4 apples, diced (I used Gala apples) *
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (homemade is best)
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
Other Tools Needed:
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Large plate
- Slow cooker (aka crockpot)
- Measuring cup
- Spoon
Method:
Start by dicing the apples and onion, then set half of each inside the crockpot. Reserve the remaining apples and onions and set aside.
Take the pork chops and season them with the salt, garlic powder and a little pepper. Then place them on top of the pile in the crockpot, and top with the remaining apples and onions. Pour the chicken broth over the whole thing, and sprinkle the spices on top. Lastly, drizzle the maple syrup and give it a little stir. Leave the slow cooker on low for about 7 – 8 hours and then it should be ready to go!
**Notes: I left the skin on the apples and enjoyed it very much, but I can understand why some would want to peel the apples before dicing. Whatever your preference is will work just fine. This can be served with almost any side dish, but a starch would work wonders here. I served my slow cooker pork with roasted Japanese sweet potato, Satsumaimo (not pictured). The combination was phenomenal!
That’s all I have for now, folks! Whether you’re keeping it paleo this holiday or not, I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving with the people that matter most to you.
Cave Girl out.
Steph's in the Kitchen 