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Whole30 Pork Chops {Paleo + Keto}

34 · Feb 27, 2021 · Leave a Comment

Lunch & Dinner, Whole30

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Pork chops with apples.

Whole30 Pork Chops are easy, healthy and delicious. This pork chops recipe has a caramelized and crispy exterior and juicy interior. Topped with tart and juicy apples this pork chops with apples combination makes the perfect family dinner!

Whole30 Pork Chop topped with apples.

Whole30 Pork Chops

If you’re here for Whole30 Pork Chops and Apples then you’ve come to the right place! Pork chops and apples are a classic pairing and for good reason! A moist juicy pork chop is complimented so well by a slightly tart and sweet apple. Serve along side this creamy Whole30 Cauliflower Mash and roasted broccolini and you’ve got a perfect comfort food meal that’s healthy!

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Two seared pork chops on a white plate.

How to sear pork chops

There are a few vital tips needed on how to sear pork chops and get a nice crust. To pan fry boneless pork chops, first you need a hot pan. Searing over medium heat isn’t going to cut it, you need a nice medium-high heat to get the job done.

You also need to use an oil with a high smoke point so that your crust doesn’t take on a burnt oil flavor. My favorite high heat oil to use is avocado oil. It’s mild in flavor and works great for any high heat application.

Don’t touch it! Once the pork chops are placed in the pan leave them be to form their crust. This won’t happen if you are constantly peeking or flipping. The same goes once you do flip to the other slide. Only flip once until your chop is cooked to your liking.

Caramelized apples in cinnamon and vanilla in a stainless steel pan.

What I love about this Healthy Pork Chop Recipe

There are a lot of ways to make pork chops but what I love about this Healthy Pork Chop Recipe is how flavorful and crispy the exterior of the chop gets while keeping juicy on the inside. They are also just easy to make and a great recipe to have in your back pocket for easy weeknight meals.

Ingredients to make Whole30 Pork Chops and Apples

Pork Chops:

  • avocado oil
  • boneless pork chops (My all time favorite pork chops!)
  • salt and pepper

Caramelized Apples:

  • honeycrisp apple(s)
  • ghee or avocado oil
  • ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • pure vanilla extract

Tools needed to make Whole30 Pork Chops

A few good tools really help get the job done and here are my favorites:

  • A quality stainless steel pan or cast iron skillet – the ability of a good pan to distribute heat can not be under estimated!
  • A instant read meat thermometer helps you know exactly what temperature your chops are at so there is no overcooking.
  • Tongs are my preferred utensil when it comes to flipping the chops and it also works great when platting the apples.

White plate of apples over pork chops, cauliflower mash and broccoli.

How to make Whole30 + Paleo Pork Chops

These Whole30 Pork Chops are incredibly simple to make. Begin by patting the fresh or thawed (not frozen) pork chops dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Then over medium-high heat, add 1 Tablespoon avocado oil to coat your skillet. Allow the oil to warm up with the pan. Once your pan is hot, add the pork chops and cook for about 6 minutes without touching before flipping and cooking another 6 minutes or until done, check doneness with an electric thermometer. Once cooked transfer the pork chops to a plate to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Using the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and melt 2 Tablespoons of ghee to coat the pan. Add the apple slices, cinnamon and pinch of salt and allow to cook until soft, about 5-8 minutes depending on how soft you prefer your apples to be.Once the apples finish cooking stir the vanilla extract into the apples.

Serve the pork chops topped with the warm apples alongside Whole30 Cauliflower Mash and roasted veggies like Roasted Asparagus. Eat and Enjoy!

Substitutions for Paleo Pork Chops

Avocado oil – Avocado oil has a smoke point of 520 degrees fahrenheit which makes it ideal for searing. Other high smoke point options for searing include beef tallow with a smoke point of 480 degrees fahrenheit or grapeseed oil which has a smoke point of 420 degrees fahrenheit.

Ghee – When making the caramelized apples during a round of Whole30 I prefer to use either ghee or a vegan butter such as Miyoko’s for the best added flavor. I’ve also used avocado oil and butter when off of a round of Whole30 and both worked great.

Honeycrisp apples – Honeycrisp are my favorite apples to use in this recipe due to their combination of taste and texture. Honeycrisp have a sweet and slightly tart taste with a crisp texture that holds up well during cooking. Other good apple options for this recipe include Granny Smith, Jonagold and Pink Lady.

What Should the Internal Temperature of Pork Be

There’s been some debate about what the internal temperature of pork needs to be and while many say it must reach at least an internal temperature of 145 degrees fahrenheit, however the recommendation used to be 160 degrees. At 160 degrees, the pork is still nice and juicy and tender but cooked through without any pink so it comes down to a matter of preference.

Keto Pork Chop Recipe

In order to make this recipe a keto pork chop recipe just omit the apples, everything else is keto. The pork chops are keto as is my recommendation to serve the keto pork chops with this creamy cauliflower mash and roasted asparagus! Such a comfort food meal and all so easy to make!

Fork taking a bite of a slice of pork chop with an apple on top.

More Easy Whole30 Recipes:

  • Whole30 Cauliflower Mash
  • Whole30 Gravy
  • Roasted Asparagus Recipe
  • Baked Pork Tenderloin
  • Prosciutto Egg Cups

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Pork chops with apples.

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Whole30 Pork Chop topped with apples.

Whole30 Pork Chops {Paleo + Easy}

  • Author: Nicole
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Category: Lunch & Dinner
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Whole30 Pork Chops are easy, healthy and delicious. This pork chops recipe has a caramelized and crispy exterior and juicy interior. Topped with tart and juicy apples this pork chops with apples combination makes the perfect family dinner!


Ingredients

Scale

Pork Chops:

  • 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
  • 2 boneless pork chops (the best pork chops I’ve found!)
  • salt and pepper

Caramelized Apples:

  • 1 large honeycrisp apple (or 2 small apples), peeled and sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons ghee or avocado oil (use avocado oil or vegan butter for dairy free)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Pat the fresh or thawed (not frozen) pork chops dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Over medium-high heat, add 1 Tablespoon avocado oil to coat your skillet. Allow the oil to warm up with the pan.
  3. Once your pan is hot, add the pork chops and cook for about 6 minutes without touching before flipping and cooking another 6 minutes or until done, check doneness with an electric thermometer. Once cooked transfer the pork chops to a plate to rest for at least 10 minutes.
  4. Using the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and melt 2 Tablespoons of ghee to coat the pan.
  5. Add the apple slices, cinnamon and pinch of salt and allow to cook until soft, about 5-8 minutes depending on how soft you prefer your apples to be.
  6. Once the apples finish cooking stir the vanilla extract into the apples.
  7. Serve the pork chops topped with the warm apples alongside Whole30 Cauliflower Mash and roasted veggies. Enjoy!

Keywords: whole30 pork chops, paleo pork chops, how to sear pork chops, whole30 pork chops with apples, healthy pork chop recipe, keto pork chop recipe,

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Lunch & Dinner, Whole30 posted by Nicole on February 27, 2021
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