Equipment
Ingredients
Pork
- 800 g pork loin chops, boneless
- 30 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 4 garlic, crushed
- 5 fresh thyme, sprigs
Scrumpy Apple Sauce
- 60 g shallot, finely minced
- 200 g granny smith apple, peeled and finely diced
- 300 ml scrumpy cider
- 200 ml chicken stock
- 60 g unsalted butter, cold, diced
- 15 g dijon mustard
Crispy Black Pudding & Candied Walnuts
- 150 g black pudding, crumbled
- 80 g walnuts, roughly chopped
- 30 g light brown sugar
- 15 g unsalted butter
Buttered Cabbage
- 400 g savoy cabbage, cored and shredded
- 30 g unsalted butter
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Shred the cabbage, dice the apple, mince the shallots, and crumble the black pudding to prepare your mise en place.
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 15g of butter with the brown sugar. Add the walnuts and toss constantly until glazed and fragrant.
Transfer the candied walnuts immediately to a piece of baking parchment, spreading them out into a single layer to cool and harden.
In a dry large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, fry the crumbled black pudding until deeply crisp and the fat renders.
Remove the crispy black pudding using a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess fat. Wipe the skillet clean.
Pat the pork loin chops completely dry with paper towels, then season generously on all sides with salt and black pepper.
Heat olive oil in the wiped skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork chops and sear undisturbed until a rich golden crust develops.
Flip the chops. Add 30g of butter, crushed garlic, and thyme sprigs to the pan. Tilt the pan slightly and continuously spoon the foaming butter over the meat until the internal temperature reaches 63 degrees C (145 degrees F).
Transfer the basted pork chops to a warm plate, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and leave to rest. Keep the fat and aromatics in the skillet.
Discard the spent thyme sprigs and garlic cloves. Add the minced shallots and diced apples to the residual pork fat in the skillet, cooking until softened and lightly caramelized.
Pour the scrumpy cider into the skillet, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any browned fond. Allow the liquid to bubble vigorously and reduce by half.
Stir in the chicken stock and Dijon mustard. Simmer steadily until the sauce is reduced enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
Remove the skillet from the heat entirely. Vigorously whisk in the cold diced butter, a few pieces at a time, until the sauce is glossy and emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.
While the sauce reduces, melt 30g of butter in a separate large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shredded Savoy cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender but retaining a slight bite.
Divide the hot buttered cabbage evenly among four warmed plates, creating a nest in the center of each. Place a rested pork chop atop each cabbage bed.
Generously spoon the warm scrumpy apple sauce over the pork chops. Scatter the crispy black pudding and candied walnuts over the top to finish.
Chef's Notes
- Scrumpy is a traditional, often cloudy, still cider from the West Country of England; if unavailable, substitute with a high-quality dry, unfiltered artisanal apple cider.
- Cold butter is crucial for the pan sauce. Adding warm or room temperature butter will melt directly into oil, causing the sauce to split rather than forming a velvety emulsion.
- When basting the pork, tilt the pan slightly toward yourself to pool the hot fat, allowing you to rapidly and repeatedly spoon the aromatic butter over the meat for an even, golden crust.
- Black pudding acts as an incredible umami-rich seasoning here. Frying it dry allows it to render its own fat and crisp up into a savory crumb that mimics bacon bits but with deeper flavor.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store components separately to maintain black pudding and walnut crunch.
Reheating: Reheat pork gently in a low oven; warm sauce on the stovetop over low heat, whisking constantly.
