Silky, braised cabbage is a perfect pairing with boneless pork loin chops, and both come together seamlessly in a skillet on the stovetop in under 35 minutes. Instead of resorting to store-bought sauerkraut, I use a mustardy pan sauce to create my own gluten-free dairy-free cooked cabbage and apple mixture for the pork. I’ve included instructions for using bone-in chops as well!
When my diet was more limited, I started experimenting more with pork loin chops at home for quick weeknight dinners. Even boneless pork chops, when pan-fried on the stovetop, can pack a tremendous amount of flavor without having to add any garlic or butter. The rendered fat makes whatever you do add to the pan feel rich and satisfying, even without dairy.
A version of these cast iron pork chops and cabbage ended up in my second cookbook, and they were so good when I revisited them with a few tweaks, I wanted to immortalize the addition of apples and onion right here.
The true secret to this recipe is the Dijon apple cider marinade that coats the bonelss pork chops and then gets added to the pan sauce of the braised cabbage along with some white wine. It’s similar to the one I use for this delicious mustard roasted pork loin.
The fresh apples add a subtle sweetness, the mustard offsets the fatty pork, and the vinegar brightens the cabbage mixture, giving it a lovely tang like warm sauerkraut.
Pan Fried Boneless Pork Chops and Cabbage: Step by Step
While you don’t have to use a cast iron skillet for pan fried boneless pork chops, it helps to have a heavy bottomed pan on the stovetop. This way, the pork chops get maximum browning without the drippings scorching.
You want to pan sear the pork chops until they are nearly, but not all the way cooked through. The best way to judge is by pressing the thickest part of the loin chop with your finger and seeing if it has any give. When the pork chop is fully firm, that means it’s done.
After you pan-fry the pork chops on the stovetop, you’ll add the cabbage and onion. As they release their moisture, a lot of those pan drippings will come up. If they don’t, have no fear! When you pour in the wine, you’ll have the opportunity to scrape everything off the bottom of the skillet.
Once the cabbage is silky, you’ll add the pork chops back to the pan along with any juices. This is where all the flavors come together! However, you want to make sure not to overcook the pork chops when they are boneless.
If your loin chops are on the thinner side and feel done after the pan-frying step, simply let them rest and slice, then serve over the cabbage apple mixture. If you’re using bone-in chops, you can monitor them and simmer the cabbage until the chops feel sufficiently cooked through. When in doubt, just cut one open!
The pan drippings are the star of the show and even without dairy or gluten, they create a syrupy, rich topping for the skillet pork chops. If mustard isn’t your thing, you an also use my spicy, limey pork chop marinade as the base for this cabbage skillet dinner.
Read on for the full recipe for this pork chop and cabbage weeknight dinner!
With health and hedonism,
Phoebe
Pan Fried Boneless Pork Chops and Cabbage
To make this recipe with bone-in pork loin chops, simply cook the meat for a few minutes longer in step 3. If they are quite thick, you can sear them for 4 minutes per side in step two as well.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
- 4 boneless pork loin chops about 2 pounds, cut 1 inch thick
- 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 small head red or green cabbage 12 ounces, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
- 1 honeycrisp apple diced
- 1 cup dry white or red wine depending on the color cabbage!
- Chopped parsley or chives for garnish (optional)
Instructions
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In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, vinegar, honey, thyme, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the pork chops and flip around until well coated in the marinade. Set aside while you prep your veggies.
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In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (I love cast-iron), heat a thin layer of olive oil over medium heat. Remove the pork chops, shaking off any excess marinade, and reserve the remaining marinade. Brown the meat in batches until golden on both sides and semi-firm, about 3 minutes per side. Don’t worry if there’s ample browning on the bottom of the pan—you’ll fix that later. Transfer to a plate.
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Add an additional glug of olive oil to the pan if needed (there should be plenty of pork fat), along with the cabbage and onion. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and glassy, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt; pour in the wine and any remaining marinade from the mixing bowl. Bring to a simmer and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with your spatula until fully deglazed.
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Fold in the apples and pour in 1 cup water. Return the pan-fried pork chops to the pan, nestling them into the gluten-free dairy-free cabbage mixture, and cook over medium heat until half the liquid is absorbed and the pork chops are firm, about 5 minutes. Note: if your pork chops are on the thin side, you might need to skip adding them back to the pan. Feel free to cut one open and check for doneness before returning to the pan. On the other hand, if using bone-in, you may need longer than 5 minutes to achieve medium-rare.
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Garnish with the herbs, if using, and serve the pork chops and cabbage directly from the skillet alongside some crusty bread, spaetzle or egg noodles!