Created by Chef Jessica Gibson of Altius this recipe layers local flavor at every turn. Apple cider, Rodeo Chèvre, and Wild Purveyors’ farm-raised meats come together in a dish that’s both comforting and elevated. Gibson’s approach for the Apple Cider-Brined Pork Chops celebrates the best of Pennsylvania’s harvest season — crisp apples, warm spices, and a touch of sweetness.
Apple Cider-Brined Pork Chops with Apple Sausage Hash and Honey-Whipped Rodeo Chèvre
Description
Chef Jessica Gibson of Altius and her team masterfully layer fall flavors in a deeply delectable dish. Local apples, herbs, cider, and meats all come into play.
Ingredients
For the Pork Chops:
- 1 cup flor blanca sea salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup Franklin Farms maple syrup
- 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Fresh thyme sprigs
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed
- 8 cups filtered water
- 4 Spring Run Farm bone-in pork chops
For the Honey-Whipped Chèvre:
- 3 tbsp Hackenberg Apiaries raw wildflower honey
- 1 cup Goat Rodeo chèvre cheese
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
For the Apple Sausage Hash:
- ½ lb Spring Run Farm ground pork country sausage
- 3 cups wild-foraged maitake mushrooms, bottom removed, rinsed and patted dry
- 1 cup sliced red onion
- 1 lb Franklin Farms organic fingerling sweet potatoes, simmered until tender, cooled and sliced
- ½ cup Schlegel Farms apple cider
- 1 cup Harvest Hills Honeycrisp apples, core removed, medium-diced
- 3 tbsp fresh sweet butter
- 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tsp chopped rosemary
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the pork chops:
- Bring all brine ingredients to a boil in a non-reactive pan and cool down instantly until it reaches 38 degrees. Submerge pork chops in the brine and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Remove pork from brine and pat dry.
For the honey-whipped chèvre:
- In a food processor, whip all ingredients and slowly add heavy cream until light and airy. Refrigerate for a couple hours.
For the hash:
- Heat a large sauté pan or round Dutch oven and add sausage on medium-high heat. Continue to brown until cooked through.
- Remove the sausage from the pan, leaving the fat in.
- Add the mushrooms and onions and continue to cook until caramelized.
- Add the potatoes and apple cider.
- Reduce liquid for a couple minutes.
- Remove from heat and add apples, butter, herbs and season. Set aside.
Notes
Pork chops can be pan-seared, oven-roasted, or grilled, depending on preference. Cook until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees. Let pork rest on top of hash for ten minutes. Serve with a generous dollop of whipped chèvre and enjoy! Chef recommends serving alongside roasted Brussels sprouts topped with chopped Marcona almonds, too.
Recipe by Chef Jessica Gibson
Photography by Dave Bryce
Styling by Rafael Vencio
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