Pork Chops Baked with Sweet Potatoes

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We don’t eat a lot of red meat in our house. We mostly eat chicken or fish, with an occasional piece of beef, lamb or pork.  I have thought about stopping eating meat altogether, but I do admit, I really enjoy the occasional steak or chop, and we both enjoy good sausages every now and then!

I can remember when I was growing up and my mother cooked pork chops for our supper, you could have used them to shingle your roof.  They had the mistaken idea back then, in the olden days . . .  that you really needed to over-cook pork.

Whilst pork does need to be cooked through, you don’t need to overcook them, and cook the flavour out of them.  Brining is a good way to keep them nice and moist.  Also bone in chops have less of a tendency to dry out than boneless chops.

I also find that oven braising them, after an initial browning on top of the stove, also helps to maintain their delectability and flavour. 

In this recipe I am sharing with you today, the chops are browned quickly in a skillet and then oven braised on a bed of sweet potatoes and onions to finish them off.

This is a dish I really love to serve in the Winter months when we don’t mind the oven being on, and we have heartier appetites.

The chops/potatoes/onions are braised in a mixture of apple juice and maple syrup, which also adds some lovely layers of flavours.

I like to brown my onions really well, before layering them in the pan. This lends a bit of sweetness to the dish  . . .  sticky golden fried onions are a real taste bud tingler! And the smell  . . .  it can’t be beat!

You don’t need to use apple juice  . . . orange or pineapple juice would also work very well . . .

as would hard cider . . . or even just some chicken stock.  Its really up to you. Myself,  I like the flavour that the apple juice lends to the overall dish.

Simple ingredients done right.  This is a fabulous one dish meal.  I like to serve some petit pois on the side and of course applesauce is another tasty addition! 

Pork Chops Baked with Sweet Potatoes

You can double or triple this recipe by increasing the quantities accordingly and baking in a much larger gratin dish.  The cook time should stay the same.  

Of course a good set of knives is probably the best tool you can have in the kitchen.  I was sent these Taylor’s Eye Witness Rose Gold Knives recently to use and try out.  They are really pretty knives, with an attractive rose-gold coloured bolster and finger guard.  They also boast comfortable soft-grip handles.  They have a hard titanium plated blade, with super-sharp hollow ground blades, which are difficult to blunt and come with a 2 year no-quibble guarantee.  Whilst they are dishwasher safe, hand washing is recommended,using a plastic dish brush in hot soapy water, and drying with a soft cloth immediately after.  It is not recommended that you use anything abrasive to wash them with.  Regular sharpening will help to keep the edges sharp.  There is nothing more dangerous in the kitchen than a dull knife. 

When I am slicing anything with rounded edges like an onion, or a potato, I find it very helpful to slice a thin edge off on one side so that the vegetable can sit on the cutting board without rolling around. 

It works a charm and is a much safer way to cut things into thin slices.   

Taylor’s Eye Witness have been making quality knives in Sheffield since 1838. Beautifully designed, yet affordable.