Name: Pork Chops with Apples and Bacon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped; 4 bone-in pork chops (about 1 inch thick); Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 2 apples, cored and sliced (snapdragon recommended); 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1 shallot, finely chopped; 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey, such as Four Roses®; 1/3 cup heavy cream; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup; 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2 Cook bacon in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon drippings.

3 Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and sear chops in the bacon drippings just until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.

4 Add 1 tablespoon butter to the same skillet. Add apples and thyme, and cook until just beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Arrange apples in an even layer in the skillet, add the bacon, then nestle the seared pork chops on top.

5 Bake uncovered in the skillet in the preheated oven until pork chops are no longer pink at the center, 10 to 15 minutes. An instant read thermometer inserted near the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

6 Remove pork and apples to a serving platter and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

7 For sauce, place the skillet back on the stovetop over medium heat (don’t wipe it out). Add butter if needed, then sauté shallot until softened, about 2 minutes.

8 Pour in whiskey to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom. Simmer until reduced slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream, Dijon, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer gently until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Spoon sauce over pork chops and apples. Garnish with additional thyme.