How To Make Rachael Ray's Apple-Onion Pork Chops And Cheesy Crushed Potatoes

How To Make Rachael Ray's Pork Chops With Sweet Onions + Apple And Cheesy Crushed Loaded Potatoes

Ingredients + Equipment:

• 12 oz. Yukon Potatoes
• 12 oz. Boneless Pork Chops
• 1 Gala Apple
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 1 oz. Sour Cream
• 1 oz. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• ⅘ oz. Honey Butter
• 1 Apple Cider Vinegar
• 6 Chive Sprigs
• 2 tsp. Savory Seasoning
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cooking Spray
• 1 Baking Sheet
• 1 Medium Pot
• 1 Medium Non-Stick Pan
• 1 Colander

Prep:

• If using any fresh produce, thoroughly rinse and pat dry
• Turn oven on to 425 degrees. Let preheat, at least 10 minutes
• Prepare a baking sheet with foil and generously coat with cooking spray

Cooking Guidelines:

To ensure food safety, the FDA recommends the following as minimum internal cooking temperatures:

• Steak and Pork 145°F (rest cooked meat, 3 minutes) |
• Seafood 145°F |
• Chicken 165°F |
• Ground Beef 160°F |
• Ground Turkey 165°F |
• Ground Pork 160°F

Instructions:

1. Start the potatoes: Place whole potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add 2 tsp. salt and stir. Cook uncovered until potatoes are tender, 14-16 minutes.You should be able to easily insert the tip of a knife into the potatoes. Check smaller potatoes for doneness sooner. Drain potatoes in a colander and set aside to cool, at least 10 minutes. Reserve pot; no need to wipe clean. While potatoes boil, continue recipe.
2. Prepare the ingredients: Cut apple into 1/4-inch slices. Peel before cutting, if desired. Mince chives. Halve and peel onion. Thinly slice. Pat pork chops dry, and season both sides with savory seasoning, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper.
3. Finish the potatoes: Once cool enough to handle, transfer potatoes to prepared baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Lightly smash each potato with the palm of your hand or a flat object (the bottom of a glass works) into a 1/2-inch disc. Drizzle all over with 2 tsp. olive oil and season both sides with 1/4 tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper. Top evenly with cheese. Roast in hot oven until crispy, 16-18 minutes. While potatoes roast, continue recipe.
4. Cook the onion and apple: Return pot used to cook potatoes to medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp. olive oil, onion, and 1/4 tsp. salt to hot pot. Stir occasionally until browned, 10-12 minutes. If pan becomes dry, add water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, as needed. Add apples, 2 Tbsp. water, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally until apple starts to soften and brown, 4-6 minutes. Stir in butter until combined. Remove from burner. While onions and apples cook, continue recipe.
5. Cook pork chops and finish dish: Place a medium nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp. olive oil and pork chops to hot pan. Cook until pork chops reach a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees, 3-5 minutes per side. Pork thickness can vary; if you receive a thinner chop, we recommend checking for doneness sooner. Remove from burner. Rest, 3 minutes. Plate dish as pictured on front of card, topping pork chops with apple-onion mixture and garnishing potatoes with sour cream and chives. Buon appetito!

​Rachael Ray's Cooking Tips

On Keeping Costs Low

"When we build a pantry, build for what you love to eat, and know you love to eat. Don't just look at a picture and say, 'Well that's pretty why don't I try that?'" Ray says. If you figure out what kinds of spices you like, it will help you determine which meals to make. "When we invest in building that pantry out, we know we're gonna get our money's worth, because we can do so many different styles of meals that are loosely related."

You can also shop for items that can roll over for multiple recipes or go for root vegetables that you prep yourself to keep the bill low. That way, you'll avoid having leftover ingredients that go bad.

On The Perfect Burger

To prep your burger, make sure the inside is flatter than the outside since the meat will expand. You don't want a thick, cooked center and thin, burnt edges! Once it's done cooking, you're going to want to take it out of the pan ASAP. "Take it out, let it rest. Don't let it sit in the pan, especially if you're [using] cast iron because that pan is going to be hot for a while," Ray says.

You also want to make sure you take your stove into account — if you have a gas stove, you might want a lower heat setting so you don't burn your food. Try not to have more meat than bun (or vice versa), and if you're cooking multiple patties, cook them all on the same surface so they all turn out the same.

On Creating Flavor Pairings

If there's a dish that you love from your favorite restaurant, make note of which spices are in it and spend time building your pantry around flavors that you know you like instead of what's trendy.

"If you discover something that you like, and they say it's got cumin and coriander in it, go buy cumin and coriander," says Ray. "Research recipes that have [those spices] because chances are, you're going to dig them."

On Making Recipes That Reheat Easy

Soups, stews, and any meal that has a lot of sauce are great options for when you need to reheat something.

"When you freeze things, put the large plastic huge storage bag in a shallow dish or a bowl for stability," Ray says. Once it's cooled to room temperature, you can squeeze all the air out, date it, and then store multiple bags together. "When you store them in bags, you can literally stack like 15 deep in your freezer. You fit so much more stuff than keeping them in tubs."