I need to share this incredibly delicious Instant Pot Autumn Apple Pork Chops recipe with you! These pressure cooker pork chops are rich and warm tasting with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg in an incredible apple gravy. My family’s absolute favorite pork chop recipe!
Originally published on Oct 19, 2017
Instant Pot Autumn Apple Pork Chops
I typically make pork chops with a mushroom gravy, and they come out tender and delicious. But when I make these, my family runs to the table! When we start eating, it gets really quiet, and all you can hear is yum, and mmmm after every bite.
Being a Washington girl, I’m used to having apples around all year long. The Autumn apples are my favorite, as they seem to have a freshness and sweet flavor that you can’t get any other time of the year.
I would still make this dish with any apples, but Fall ones are my favorite! I like Red Delicious, as I prefer sweet apples in this recipe.
Part of the charm is the way the flavors play off of each other. The sweet of the apple and brown sugar, and the savory flavors of the pork, salt, and the onion. And just a touch of spice to set it off. Perfection!
These Instant Pot Autumn Apple Pork Chops are very simply made. You can easily make these on a busy weeknight. You don’t even have to peel the apples! I never do!
I hope you try this. It is delicious, and kids of all ages love it!
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Instant Pot Autumn Apple Pork Chops are rich and warm tasting with just a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. My family’s absolute favorite pork chop recipe!
- 3 Apples (I prefer a sweet variety, like Red Delicious) sliced about 1/4" thick
- 1 Small Sweet Onion (Walla Walla, Vidalia, etc) Cut in half and thinly sliced.
- 2-4 Pork Chops (I prefer bone-in 3/4")
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1/4 cup Plus 1 Tbsp Water (divided)
- 4 Tbsp Butter (unsalted)
- 4 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- Pinch of Salt
- 2 Tbsp Corn Starch
- 3 Tbsp Cold Water
- 2-4 Small Potatoes (to cook with pork chops as a side dish)
- Chopped Pecans (optional)
Prepare apples by coring, and slicing (peeling is optional. I never do). Set aside.
Remove the outer skin of the onion. Cut in half and slice thinly (You will have half circles). Set aside.
Season the pork chops with a sprinkling of salt and pepper on each side. Go lightly on the pepper. Set aside while pot warms up.
Turn the IP to Sauté mode (Normal heat). When the display reads "Hot" add the oil to the pot.
Add the pork chops, two at a time, and brown on each side for about 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Add the onion and 1 Tbsp water. Cook the onion, stirring frequently and scraping to deglaze the pot (get all of the brown bits off the bottom). I like to use a wooden spoon.
When the onions are translucent and tender, add the butter and stir until melted.
Add the apples and 1/4 cup water. Stir well.
Add the pork chops (and any juices on the plate) back in and just set them on top of the apples. Don't stir.
If you are cooking potatoes with this dish, set them on top of the pork chops. Leave them whole (small potatoes).
Put the lid on the pot and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position. Cancel the Sauté mode.
Press the Manual (or Pressure Cook) button and then the + or - button to select 10 (8 minutes for thinner chops) minutes.
***Yes, the pot will come to pressure with only 1/4 cup of water in it. This is because the apples will release water as the pot is heating up and building pressure, so you will be okay. It's the same for making applesauce!
While the pork chops are cooking, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
When the cook cycle ends and the pot beeps, don't do anything to it, just let it naturally release pressure for 10 minutes (the counter will begin counting up). After the 10 minutes is up, turn the steam release knob to manually release the remaining pressure.
When the pin in the lid drops, open the lid. Remove the pork chops (and potatoes) to a plate and cover with foil or a lid to keep warm.
Turn the Sauté mode back on.
Add the brown sugar mixture to the apple mixture and stir.
Mix the corn starch with the cold water. Stir the corn starch slurry into the apple mixture, stirring constantly.
When the mixture thickens, turn off the pot. Remove apple gravy to a serving bowl immediately.
Serve the pork chops smothered in the warm apple gravy. Yum!
Garnish with chopped pecans, if desired.
Resources To Make Instant Pot Autumn Apple Pork Chops and More
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We made this recipe tonight and it was a hit! I made it exactly as directed an it turned out perfect. So excited to add this to our regular family menu.
Hi Cynthia! Yay! I’m really happy that you like this recipe! It is my favorite pork chop recipe. I will eat that apple gravy piled high on every bite of pork! It’s time to make it again! Thank you so much for your review!
Oh my goodness this looks delicious, I hope to try it this week! The Cajun pasta turned out so good, I’m glad I’ve found your website so I can explore with my new instant pot.
Hi Susan! This is a tasty pork chop recipe! I love fruit with pork. Hope you like it!
Tried you dish tonight for dinner and found it fun to make and more fun to eat it! Really delicious, we will definitely make it again.
Hi Dori, I’m really glad that you liked this recipe! It is fun to make! I always eat way more of the apple gravy that anything else! Love that stuff! Thank you for taking the time to review this recipe!
Wonderful! I’ve just had my Instant Pot for a couple of months and this was my first successful pork chop recipe. There are so many different pork chops; thick, thin, bone-in, boneless. I’ll buy pork chops that look similar in thickness to the particular recipe I’m attempting to make. My question in reference to my past recipe failures is, if the recipe time is up and the pork chop is chewy, does that mean it is overcooked or not cooked enough? I’ve ended up feeding my failures to the eager crows in my yard! Thank you!
Hi Tempe, I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe. A tough pork chop is often the result of overcooking, and sometimes you just get a tough one. I prefer bone-in as I get better results from them.
This was so yummy and so easy. I absolutely loved the new and different taste of these porkchops. Not your run of the mill dinner! Thank you for a wonderful recipe that I will cherish and share with my friends and family.
Hi Sherry! I’m happy that you like this pork chops recipe! I can never get enough of that apple gravy! Thank you for the nice review!
First thing I made in my new Instant Pot! This recipe is really delicious! Pork, onion and apple is a wonderful combination. I have made this several times, and it is always a hit. Thank you!
Hi Martee! I’m so happy that you like this pork chop recipe! Thank you for taking the time to write a review!
Absolutely delicious. I’m making this for the third time in 6 weeks. It is that good. The pork chops are so tender. I use bone-in chops. The apple gravy is so good. This is a great recipe. Thank you Sandy.
Hi Kim! You and I both feel the same about this recipe! I just bought pork chops today and am making this for dinner tonight, lol! I’m so happy that you like it! Thank you for taking the time to review this recipe.
I’m trying this tonight, so cross your fingers! Two small changes: I’m using Honey Crisp apples, and I put in carrots instead of potatoes. I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Has anyone tried this yet with sweet potatoes?
Hi. I like the sound of this recipe and plan to make it this week. I was wondering if it could be made with 8 chops and more potatoes and if so, what time/other ingredient modifications you’d suggest? Thanks.
Hi Kim, I think if 8 chops fit in your pot, then go for it! After cooking, check to make sure all of the chops are cooked evenly.
Wondering if it worked with the 8 chops? Planning on making tonight with about the same.
Can I change brown sugar to swerve for keto and olive oil to vegtable oil. can xanthum gum be an exchange for corn starch to make more keto friendly
I haven’t tried those substitutions, but they sound like they will work.
Made this tonight and was kinda concerned about there only being 1/4 C. Water so increased it to 1/2C. Worked great! I had 4 very thin pork chops and they were very tender. I have a mini pot and kept the cooking times the same. Will make again’
Hi Shelley, the apple has a lot of water in it, so that helps. I don’t like my gravy to get watery, so i only use 1/4 cup. I’m glad it worked for you!
My family loves these! I am wondering though if and how these could be made without an instant pot? My son just moved out on his own and doesn’t have an instant pot yet, but he loves these chops. I know he can just pan fry the chops, but what about the gravy? I am lost on how to convert this. Please help.
Hi Janet, I’m happy that your son likes these pork chops! I think I would Brown the chops but not cook them all the way. Remove to a plate. Then sauté the onion in the butter, then add the apple to it and cook a few minutes. Add the pork chops, cover, and bake at 350° for maybe 25 minutes? He’ll need to check that. Then remove from the oven and add the brown sugar mixture and stir well. Might need to turn on the stove to thicken. Then add the chops back in and enjoy! I love this recipe, and now I need to make it again!
I made this tonight and the family really enjoyed it. I thought this was my first time, but when I went to save the recipe, I found that I’d already done that when I made this several months prior. I’ll have to put this in regular rotation for Sunday dinner. It’s easy and uses things I typically have on hand. I used quartered sweet potatoes instead of whole white potatoes and they were good, soft, but not too mushy. Thanks for the spot on directions.
Absolutely delicious! That apple-onion gravy is so good with the pork chops. I had some sweet peppers I needed to use up, so I threw just a few in with the apples. Worked pretty well, if I do say so myself. I’m keeping this recipes, peppers or not, in my rotation. Thank you!
Hi Tyler! I’m so happy you like this pork chop recipe! I could eat that apple gravy with a spoon. Okay, I do! I’m glad you found that your peppers worked well in it, that’s a great tip for using up extra veggies! Thanks so much for your review!
I’m confused… I’ve always mixed my cornstarch with cold water…then mixed it into the hot liquids to thicken. I followed these directions, and my cornstarch thickened into a gummy lump instead of dissolving. I tossed it. Then I mixed the 2tbsps cornstarch with cold water, and mixed into the apples and liquid on saute in the IP and it came out great! Did I read it wrong? Regardless…it was FABULOUS!! Thanks for the recipe. My family LOVED it!
Hi Amy, I’m so glad you liked this recipe. As for the corn starch slurry, I clarified it so no one else is confused. Thank you for your review!