Tender pork chops simmer with sweet apple cider and onions in a cast-iron skillet for a hearty camping dinner. The cider reduces into a pan sauce that pairs well with potatoes, rice, or crusty bread around camp.
Best Uses Around Camp
- Perfect for cool evenings when everyone is ready for a filling camp dinner.
- Works well over a camp stove or a cast iron skillet placed on a grill grate above the fire.
- Easy to serve with mashed potatoes, rice, roasted vegetables, or toasted bread for soaking up the cider sauce.
Make-Ahead and Camp Prep Tips
Slice the onions before leaving home and store them in a sealed container. Measure the apple cider into a leakproof bottle, and combine any seasonings in a small spice container. Keep the pork chops well chilled in the cooler until you’re ready to cook. Preparing these ingredients ahead of time keeps campsite cleanup simple and dinner comes together quickly.
Camp Equipment Notes
A well-seasoned cast iron skillet provides even heat and develops excellent browning on the pork chops. Long tongs make turning the chops easier without piercing the meat. If cooking over a campfire, maintain a bed of glowing coals instead of high flames so the cider sauce reduces gradually without burning. After dinner, wipe the skillet while still warm before giving it a light rinse and drying it thoroughly.
Storage Tips
Keep the uncooked pork in the coldest part of your cooler until cooking time. Leftovers should be cooled promptly, transferred to a sealed container, and returned to the cooler. When reheating, add a small splash of apple cider or water to loosen the sauce if it has thickened overnight.
Before You Cook
What parts of Cast Iron Apple Cider Pork Chops & Onions can be prepared before the trip?
The onions can be sliced ahead of time, the cider measured into a bottle, and the seasonings portioned before leaving home. Keeping everything organized reduces campsite prep and lets dinner come together much faster.
How do I keep the cider sauce from scorching in the cast iron skillet?
After browning the pork chops, reduce the heat before adding the cider and onions. If cooking over a campfire, move the skillet to a cooler section of the grate or bed of coals and stir occasionally while the sauce reduces. This produces a smooth, flavorful pan sauce without burning the sugars in the cider.
Cast Iron Apple Cider Pork Chops & Onions
Equipment
- 12-inch cast iron skillet
- lid or foil
- Tongs
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops about 1 inch thick
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in the skillet over medium-hot coals.
- Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Remove to a plate.
- Add onions to the skillet (add more oil if needed). Sauté 4-5 minutes until starting to soften.
- Stir in garlic, then pour in apple cider and mustard. Scrape up browned bits.
- Return chops to skillet, nestling among onions. Cover with lid or foil. Simmer over low heat 15 minutes, flipping once, until pork is just cooked through and onions are meltingly soft.
- Remove from heat. Rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sage or parsley and serve.