Pork Chops with Apple–Miso Butter, Roasted Hokkaido Squash and Braised Savoy Cabbage

Pan-Seared Pork Chops

A hard sear builds a savory crust, while a short oven finish cooks thick chops evenly. Resting before slicing keeps the meat juicy and supplies flavorful juices for the sauce.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork chops, about 8 ounces each and 1¼ inches thick
• 1¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ tbsp ghee

Instructions

1. Season the chops with salt and refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. Pat very dry before cooking and season with pepper.
2. Heat the oven to 425°F. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, then add the ghee.
3. Sear the chops for 2–3 minutes per broad side until well browned. Briefly stand them on their fat edges to render and brown those surfaces. Work in batches if necessary.
4. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for approximately 5–10 minutes, checking early with an instant-read thermometer. Remove when the centers reach 145°F.
5. Transfer the chops to a warm plate and rest for at least 5 minutes. Reserve the skillet for the apple sauce and save the resting juices.

Notes

• Thickness matters more than weight for timing; check each chop individually. If the skillet fond is black rather than brown, wipe away the burned areas before making the sauce.

Apple–Miso Butter Pan Sauce

Firm apples bring sweetness and acidity to the pork's browned pan juices. Adding miso and cold butter over low heat produces a glossy sauce without dulling the miso's aroma.

Ingredients

• 2 medium firm sweet-tart apples, such as Pink Lady, cored and cut into ¼-inch skin-on slices
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp ghee
• ⅓ cup unsalted gluten-free chicken stock
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste
• 1½ tbsp mild gluten-free Shared Cultures miso
• 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. After removing the pork, carefully pour off excess pan fat, leaving the browned fond. Set the skillet over medium heat and add the ghee.
2. Add the apples in a loose layer and cook for 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden in places. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes more.
3. Add the stock and vinegar, scraping up the fond. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the apples are tender but intact and the liquid has reduced slightly.
4. Mix the miso with a spoonful of warm pan liquid, then stir it into the sauce along with the pork's resting juices.
5. Lower the heat to its minimum and swirl in the cold butter a few cubes at a time. Remove from the heat once glossy; do not boil.
6. Taste and adjust with pepper and a few drops of vinegar. Spoon over the sliced pork immediately.

Notes

• Miso salinity varies, so taste before adding any salt. Loosen an overly thick or salty sauce with a splash of water.

Roasted Hokkaido Squash

Roasting thick, skin-on crescents concentrates the squash's chestnut-like sweetness and creates browned edges. The mild seasoning leaves room for the apple–miso sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 small Hokkaido squash, about 2 pounds
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Scrub the squash, halve it, scoop out the seeds, and cut into ¾–1-inch crescents, leaving the edible skin on.
2. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet in one layer, with a cut face against the metal.
3. Roast for 30–40 minutes, turning after about 20 minutes, until both cut surfaces are browned and a knife slides easily through the flesh and skin.

Notes

• Leave space between the crescents so they roast rather than steam.

Braised Savoy Cabbage with Carrot and Onion

Searing the cabbage before braising gives its outer leaves a deep, nutty flavor. A shallow braise softens the core while keeping each wedge intact, and a little vinegar balances the sweet vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1 small Savoy cabbage, about 1½ pounds
• 1 medium carrot, cut into ¼-inch rounds
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1½ tbsp ghee
• ¾ cup unsalted gluten-free chicken stock
• ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Remove damaged outer cabbage leaves. Cut the cabbage through the core into four wedges, trimming only the hard outer base so the wedges remain attached.
2. Heat the ghee in a wide, heavy lidded pan over medium-high heat. Sear the cabbage on both cut faces, about 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate.
3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens.
4. Add the stock, salt, and pepper, scraping the bottom of the pan. Return the cabbage, cover, and simmer gently over low heat for 20–25 minutes, until the core is easily pierced with a knife.
5. Uncover and simmer for 3–5 minutes to reduce the liquid to a light glaze. Add the vinegar and adjust the seasoning, spooning the vegetables and juices over the wedges.

Notes

• Check midway through braising and add a splash of water if the pan is drying out. Avoid moving the wedges repeatedly once tender.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The cabbage and squash cook largely unattended, leaving the final stretch for the pork and its pan sauce.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Salt the pork and heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the squash, cabbage, carrot, and onion.
2. 0:15 — Put the squash in the oven. Sear the cabbage and begin its covered braise.
3. 0:30 — Slice the apples and shallot, measure the sauce ingredients, and turn the squash.
4. 0:35 — Sear the pork and transfer it to the oven. Check the cabbage and reduce its braising liquid once tender.
5. 0:45 — Check the pork's internal temperature and remove it at 145°F. Remove the squash when tender and browned; keep the vegetables warm.
6. 0:45–0:57 — Rest the pork while making the apple–miso butter sauce in its skillet.
7. 0:57 — Slice the pork, plate with the vegetables, and spoon over the apples and sauce.

Notes

• Allow a few extra minutes for unusually thick chops or a dense squash. The vegetables can wait covered briefly; finish the butter sauce just before serving.

Plating

Keeping the vegetables beside the pork preserves their browned surfaces while letting the apple–miso butter coat the meat.

Instructions

1. Place a cabbage wedge on one side of each warm plate and spoon its carrots, onions, and reduced juices around it.
2. Overlap two or three squash crescents beside the cabbage.
3. Slice the rested chops across the grain into ½-inch slices and fan them across the remaining space.
4. Spoon the warm apples and miso butter over the pork, leaving some browned meat visible. Serve immediately.

Leftover Path

Gentle reheating protects the lean pork and keeps the butter sauce from separating. The squash and cabbage tolerate reheating well.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow airtight containers, keeping the pork and apple sauce separate from the vegetables where practical. Use within 3–4 days.
2. Reheat the cabbage and squash covered in a 325°F oven with a splash of water until hot.
3. Warm the pork and apples gently in a covered skillet with a little water or stock. Bring reheated leftovers to 165°F, avoiding a prolonged simmer.
4. If the sauce separates, take it off the heat and gently stir in a teaspoon or two of warm water.