Wild Turkey Pork Chops With Cider-glazed Apples And Onions

[Kitchen Witch]

WILD TURKEY PORK CHOPS WITH CIDER-GLAZED APPLES AND ONIONS

marinade:
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Wild Turkey whiskey
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dry rubbed sage

chops:
4 thick-cut (1- to 1 1/2-inch) pork chops, such as loin chops
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium Granny Smith apple, with skin, cored and thinly sliced
3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
3 tablespoons Wild Turkey whiskey
Fresh sage leaves for garnish, optional

To prepare marinade, place in large zip-top bag brown sugar, cider, mustard, whiskey, lemon rind, red chili flakes, vinegar and sage. Add pork chops. Seal bag, then shake around to distribute marinade. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

When ready to cook, remove pork chops from marinade and reserve marinade.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large nonstick pan over high heat. Season pork chops on each side with salt, place in pan and brown well on each side, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place pan of pork chops in oven and continue cooking at 375 degrees 14 to 17 minutes, depending upon cut of chops. Start checking chops after about 12 minutes and cook until just done throughout. When chops are done, remove them to platter and keep warm. Meanwhile, pour any juices from chop pan into reserved marinade. Place pan back on stove and heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add apple and onion and cook, stirring often, until slightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Add Wild Turkey and marinade-pan juice mixture, then increase heat to high and cook until almost all liquid is reduced, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if needed, then serve spooned over chops. Garnish with fresh sage leaves. Makes 4 servings.