Pork Chops With Baked Apples and Potato Medley

I have never made stuffed pork chops.  It sure looks like a lot of work, cutting the chops precisely in the correct area to make a little pocket, stuffing stuff in the pocket and skewering the pocket closed, browning the chops carefully and then baking them...so, I just made it casserole style instead, which is much easier and I am sure tastes pretty much the same without all the fanciness.

Gathering the Ingredients

Ingredients:

Washing the Fuji Apples

• 8 Thick Pork Chops
• 6 Fuji Apples
• 1 Bag +Trader Joe's Potato Medley - Gold, Red and Purple
• 1 tsp. Cloves
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Nutmeg
• 1/2 Cup Bacon Fat
• Salt
• Pepper

Wash the apples well and slice into rounds.

Sliced Apples with Spices

 Remove the seeds from each slice and layer in a large glass casserole dish.  Sprinkle the spices over the apples.

Layer the Pork Chops Over the Apples

Next, layer the pork chops over the apples.

Salt and Pepper The Chops Well

Be sure to salt and pepper your meat very well, it's amazing how much flavor a little salt and pepper adds to your meats.

Chopping the Potatoes

I just love +Trader Joe's  Potato Medley.  I can't decide which potato I like best, Red, Gold or Purple.

Layering the Beautiful Potatoes

Layer the potatoes over the Pork Chops.

Top the Potatoes with dabs of Bacon Fat

Dab the potatoes with a little bacon fat.

Lovely Baked Pork Chop Casserole

Slow bake the Casserole at 325 degrees for 2 - 3 hours.  Slow Roasting brings out all the flavor and ensures the tenderness of the meat.  Though, if I do this again I will put the potatoes on the bottom and the apples on top.
These potatoes are low moisture and I was hoping they would brown on the top, but they dried out too much.  I had to take them and soak them in the juices to tenderize them, which turned out good anyway.

Baked Pork Chop With Baked Apple and Potato

It was very flavorful, and the meat was very tender and juicy and filled with the flavor of apple and spices, OH SO GOOD!  When it was baking, it filled the whole house with the smell of apple pie and roasting meat.  It smelled like a feast!

See what to do with the leftovers here:  

Chinese Pork With Purple Yam Noodles (Made From Leftovers)