Apple Bacon Porkchops

Ingredients:

For the Brine:

3 cups water

¼ cup raw honey

2 bay leaves

1 Tbsp. whole black peppercorns

¼ cup sea salt

2 cups ice

For the Pork Chops:

4 bone-in pork center-cut chops (about ½ lb. each)

1 tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

6 slices thick cut bacon

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup apple juice

3 Tbsp. raw honey, divided

1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary

1 Tbsp. fresh thyme

3 Tbsp. water

2 tsp. arrowroot flour

4 Tbsp. ghee (or another paleo friendly fat)

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

2 medium granny smith apples, cored and sliced

Directions:

To Brine the Pork Chops

1. Mix the water, raw honey, bay leaves, peppercorns and sea salt in a medium sized saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add ice cubes, and allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Place the pork chops in a sealable bag, place in a large bowl, pour in the brine and seal the bag. Refrigerate the pork chops 3-6 hours.

3. Remove the chops, discard the brine, and pat the chops dry with paper towels.

4. Season the chops on both sides with the sea salt and black pepper.

To Cook the Pork Chops

1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until crispy, remove the bacon from the pan and allow the bacon to drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Drain some of the fat from the pan, keeping enough in the pan to just coat the bottom.

2. Place the pork chops in the pan and brown on both sides. Add the chopped garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Next add the apple juice, 1 Tbsp. of the raw honey, rosemary and thyme to the pan. Cover and cook for 6 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of a chop reads 145F.

3. Remove pan cover, combine the water and arrowroot flour together in a small bowl, then add to the sauce in the pan and stir to combine. Stir for about 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Taste and add additional sea salt and pepper if desired. Remove the pan from the heat, and set aside.

4. Add the ghee to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and 2 Tbsp. raw honey to the pan and allow to cook for about 4-5 minutes or until the onions are softened. Add the sliced apples to the pan and continue to cook for another 3 minutes or until the apples are just softened (but not mushy).

5. Place the pork chops on a plate and pour the glaze from the pan over each. Top with the onion and apple mixture, then crumble the bacon and sprinkle over the top. Serve with your favorite mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower and a green salad.

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