Add a spark of Mexican joy to your good old pork chops with apple chipotle purée

Pork and apples: two unlikely companions whose history reads like an epic spanning centuries, a tale of necessity, taste and a bit of serendipity. It all starts in medieval Europe, where pigs roamed freely in apple orchards, gobbling up fallen fruit like the cute oinking vacuums they are. The apple-infused pork wasn’t just a happy accident; it was efficiency at its finest, a lesson from nature herself: waste not, want not. Or as the pigs might say, when life gives you apples, eat them.

By the time the 9th-century Roman cookbook “Apicius” rolled around, some genius had already figured out that roasting pork with apples wasn’t just a matter of convenience — it was delicious. Imagine an empire in decline finding comfort in this seasonal combo as the world crumbled around it. If civilization was going to burn, at least they’d have a full stomach.

Fast forward to the 18th century and Hannah Glasse, a no-nonsense Englishwoman with a quill and a cookbook. In her wildly popular “The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy”, Glasse recommends serving roast pork with “some good apple sauce.” By this point, apples had gone from incidental snack to indispensable sidekick.

Today, we still serve pork with apples because it works. It’s the kind of pairing that reminds us that life’s contrasts are where beauty lives. Sweet and savory, humble and elegant, old-fashioned and somehow always new. When you serve pork chops with apple chipotle purée, the pair is even newer. This recipe combines smoky, spicy chipotle with the sweetness of apples for a bold and flavorful dish. The Mexican elements elevate a classic pairing of pork and apples to a whole new sweet, spicy, porky level.

Pork chops with apple chipotle purée

Ingredients

For the pork chops

• 4 bone-in pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the apple chipotle purée

• 3 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (add more for extra heat)
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp honey (or agave syrup)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tbsp butter
• Pinch of salt

For garnish

• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Rub the spice blend generously onto both sides of the pork chops.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops for about 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown.
3. Reduce heat to medium, cover the skillet and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 F (63 C). Remove from heat and let rest.
4. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the chopped apples and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in the chipotle pepper, orange juice, honey, cinnamon, cloves and a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the apples are soft.
6. Transfer the mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender to purée until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more chipotle if you want it spicier.
7. To assemble, spoon a generous amount of apple chipotle purée onto each plate. Place a pork chop on top of the purée.
8. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice for brightness.

Serving suggestions

Pair this dish with Mexican rice, a side of charred corn with cotija cheese, or a crisp jicama and cucumber salad for a complete feast. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.