These cozy and homey Bacon Apple Smothered Pork Chops are one of my family’s favorite Paleo comfort foods, complete with Whole30-compatible gravy!
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A paleo twist on smothered pork chops!
With its Creole heritage, smothered pork chops is hearty comfort food at its most straightforward. Just brown some chops and cover ’em with a thick, savory layer of sautéed onions and gravy; you’ll have a satisfying meal in no time. But don’t mistake easy for bland. My flavor-first version of this southern dish will satisfy even the most ornery eater—guaranteed.
The secret to a smashing onion gravy, of course, is the roux—the thickening agent traditionally made from approximately equal amounts of fat to flour. My Paleo roux substitutes arrowroot powder for the flour, and uses bacon drippings as the fat of choice, which adds a wonderful smokiness to the sauce.
Pair pork and apples for the win!
And what goes better with pork chops than apples? Answer: nothing.
The sweetness of the fruit and onions strikes the perfect counterbalance to the bacon-y richness of the gravy. An apple a day doesn’t just keep the doctor away—it also takes these pork chops from good to great.
Is your stomach growling yet? Then let’s get down to business!
Ingredients
- Thick cut bacon: Make sure to use sugar-free bacon if you’re on a Whole30!
- Arrowroot powder: My preferred grain-free and gluten-free starch for thickening the gravy.
- Bone broth or chicken stock: A good gravy depends on a tasty base so use some good broth or stock! It doesn’t have to be homemade, but pick a good one like Roli Roti Butcher’s Bone Broth.
- Fish sauce: I know this isn’t a traditional ingredient in gravy BUT it adds so much flavor and no fishiness. Trust me.
- Bone-in pork chops: I like to choose rib-end pork chops that are about ¾-inch-thick and not super lean.
- Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Ghee, Avocado oil, or extra virgin olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Apple: I think almost any crunchy, sweet apple works in this recipe. I normally use whatever apple I have in the fridge that will go in the kids’ lunches (e.g., Cosmic Crisp, Fuji, or Honey crisp).
- Garlic
- Fresh thyme sprigs
How to make bacon apple smothered pork chops
Start by rendering the bacon drippings by frying the bacon in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Once the bacon bits are crisp (about 8 minutes or so), spoon them out…
…and set the bacon aside on a paper towel-lined dish.
There should be about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings left in the saucepan. Over medium-low heat, add the arrowroot powder into the drippings…
…and whisk until it forms a smooth roux.
Keep whisking as you cook the roux until browned.
Then, pour in the broth and fish sauce and stir until incorporated.
Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the sauce to a boil.
Cook until it’s thickened (around 3 minutes). Cover the saucepan, turn off the heat, and set it aside.
Season the chops on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the chops and cook on each side for 1 minute or until golden-brown.
Transfer the chops to a plate.
Toss the onions and apple—along with a sprinkle of salt—into the empty skillet.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions are browned on the edges (about 5 minutes). Be sure to scrape up as much of the browned porky bits on the bottom of the skillet.
Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
Transfer the chops back into the skillet, and smother ’em with the cooked onions and apple.
Make sure the onions and apples are evenly distributed over the top.
Pour the reserved sauce onto the chops…
…and add the thyme sprigs…
…before bringing the sauce to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce the heat to low, and cover the skillet. Simmer for 30 minutes…
…or until the pork chops are fork tender.
Plate the chops, and top them with gravy and the reserved bacon bits.
What do you serve with it?
Serve with your favorite comfort food side! I love pairing these pork chops with garlic cauliflower mashed fauxtatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, sweet potato fries, or cauliflower rice. (Yes, you can also serve them with mashed potatoes, white rice, or buttered noodles.)
How do you save leftovers?
Leftover pork chops and gravy can be stored in an airtight refrigerator in the fridge for up to 4 days.
More fabulous pork recipes
- Easy Pork Shoulder Roast with Peach Glaze
- Instant Pot Kalua Pork
- Instant Pot Carnitas
- Bangin’ Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs
- Paleo Tonkatsu (Japanese Pork Cutlet)
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Bacon Apple Smothered Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 3 slices thick cut bacon use sugar-free bacon if you’re on a Whole30, cut into ¼ inch slices
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1½ cups bone broth or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 5 ¾-inch-thick bone-in rib-end pork chops (about 2 pounds total)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ghee or avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 apple peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- Start by rendering the bacon drippings by frying the bacon in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Once the bacon bits are crisp (about 5-8 minutes), spoon them out and set the bacon aside on a paper towel-lined dish.
- There should be about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings left in the saucepan. Over medium-low heat, whisk the arrowroot powder into the drippings to form a smooth roux.
- Keep whisking as you cook the roux until browned. Then, pour in the broth and fish sauce and stir until incorporated.
- Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook until it’s thickened (around 3 minutes). Cover the saucepan, turn off the heat, and set it aside.
- Season the chops on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the chops and cook on each side for 1 minute or until golden-brown. Transfer the chops to a plate.
- Toss the onions and apple—along with a sprinkle of salt—into the empty skillet.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions are browned on the edges (about 5 minutes). Be sure to scrape up as much of the browned porky bits on the bottom of the skillet.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Transfer the chops back into the skillet, and smother ’em with the cooked onions and apple.
- Pour the reserved sauce onto the chops, and add the thyme sprigs, before bringing the sauce to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce the heat to low, and cover the skillet. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the pork chops are fork tender.
- Plate the chops, and top them with gravy and the reserved bacon bits.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My family loves this recipe!
Another Winner!! I was a bit concern making the roux with arrowroot. I tried this with another recipe and came out gobby and looked unappealing. Not this time. It was a bit gobby but not unappealing. Delicious. I made the full recipe using 2 thick bone in rib pork chops pastured. Thank you.
Got all the ingredients to day to try this, sounds delicious. I am confused about one thing though, which is the reserved sauce & which is the gravy?
The reserved sauce = gravy!
This was one of the most fabulous meals I’ve ever had. I may or may not have licked my plate.
Amazing recipe! I also love your hot and sticky (Tabasco) chicken but can’t find it on your website! Anyway thanks for another great recipe
Hi
Is this a recipe you can put in the slow cooker?
I’ve never tried this recipe in the slow cooker but I’m not sure it would be the same.
Delish! So tender! Loved the flavors.