Nothing says fall in Iowa like pork chops and apples.
By Haley Scarpino
There’s something about fall that feels like a reset button for me, and I spend more time in the kitchen. Summer produce requires very little cooking, so dinners are quick and easy, especially when it’s too hot for the oven or even the stovetop. But fall invites slow and cozy dinners that warm you from the inside out.
I wanted to mark the turning point with a meal that captures what I love most about Iowa fall, starting with two recipes from the New York Times: David Tanis’ Pork Chops With Apples and Cider and Erin Jean McDowell’s Fluffy Cheddar Biscuits.
These two recipes, borrowed from the treasure trove of New York Times Cooking, have quickly become my fall staples. They’re unfussy enough for a weeknight but special enough to serve to friends and family.
How I make the pork chops
I love this recipe because it really feels like Iowa with pork chops and apples, but I made a few simple changes to bump up the flavor and keep things nice and easy.
First, I removed whole spices. Peppercorns, allspice berries and cloves are lovely and fragrant, but they’re pricey, and I don’t use them often.
I was worried that adding warm spices directly to the pork might be too intense, so I mixed the spices into the flour to cut the flavors without erasing them.
I seasoned the pork chops well with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper before dredging them in the flour. I used about a half cup of flour and then added ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon of ground allspice and ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves, along with a big pinch of kosher salt.
Next, I added shallots to the apples. I can’t resist an allium, and shallots pair beautifully with apples, sage and pork.
I also used a lot more butter than the recipe suggested. I started with about 2 tablespoons for the shallots and apples. I then added 2 tablespoons of butter before cooking the pork. When the pork was finished cooking, I did not remove the butter from the pan as the recipe suggested. That butter holds so much flavor, I couldn’t dream of discarding it.
My final tweak: cornstarch instead of potato starch. There is nothing wrong with potato starch, but I don’t keep it on hand and wasn’t going to hunt it down when I had an excellent thickener in my pantry. I didn’t adjust the measurements, and the cornstarch worked well. My pan sauce was thick, glossy and delicious.
My one recommendation is to use good cider. I used a local Honeycrisp Cider from Wilson’s Orchard. It has excellent flavor, and I love using local products whenever possible. I finished the sauce with an additional splash of the hard cider instead of using calvados or Cognac. Again, both of those ingredients are great, but I don’t keep them on hand, and I wasn’t willing to hunt them down.
The pork was incredible. I loved the subtle seasoning of the warm spices. The apples, shallots and sage were flavorful and held just the right amount of crispness. I love how the apples became caramelized but retained their crispness.
And the pan sauce stole the show. It was so flavorful, and it bridged the apple and pork. As always, make sure you season and taste as you go.
How I make the biscuits
The cheddar biscuits were the perfect complement to the pork. I made them with an extra sharp cheddar, but in hindsight, I should have used Prairie Breeze from Milton Creamery. The sharp cheddar paired well with the apples, and the biscuits were perfect for soaking up the last of that pan sauce.
Otherwise, I made no adjustments to the biscuits. If you’ve never made biscuits, this is an easy recipe to start with. There are no complicated steps. You just need a large bowl and a wooden spoon. They are super easy and worth the effort.
As fall settles in, this meal is a simple way to enjoy the season’s bounty and reminds us that the best meals aren’t complicated. They’re seasonal, cozy and made to be shared.
Haley Scarpino is a chef, home cook, recipe tester, food editor, and graduate of the Iowa Culinary Institute.
