Maple Sugar Glazed Pork With Baked Apples and Thyme

A delicious and sticky combination of lean pork chops, maple syrup, brown sugar, apples and cider. An easy to assemble meal for company that needs very little last minute attention. Serve with mashed potato and steamed seasonal vegetables during the cooler months and lightly steamed greens during the warmer months. This dish would also be wonderful with baked red cabbage and crusty bread. Edited (30/08/07) to say: This was my RSC10 entry - and as everyone discovered, I copied and pasted the wrong version! I made it three times, cutting back on fluids each time and also increasing the oven temperature and the maple syrup! This recipe has now been edited to the correct version - thanks to all who made this, and sorry for my mistake! I hope you will try it again! FT:-)

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 (6 ounce)  lean pork chops, trimmed, about 6 ozs each
• 1  ounce butter, for greasing
• 1 -2  tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 4  ounces brown sugar
• 4  tablespoons maple syrup
• 1⁄3-1⁄2 cup cider
• 1  red onion, peeled and diced finely
• 2  large apples, halved and cored
•  salt
•  pepper
•  fresh thyme

Directions

1. Put the chops & apple halves into a large buttered ovenproof dish – along side each other, it does not matter if they fit snugly.
2. Mix the maple syrup, sugar, mustard and cider together to make a thickish, sludgy syrupy, paste and spread over the top of the chops & apples.
3. Allow to rest/marinade at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 2250C/450F/Gas 6.
5. Sprinkle the chopped onion over the top of the chops and apples, and place several sprigs of fresh thyme on top.
6. Season well with freshly ground pepper and sea salt.
7. Bake for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until chops are and apples are cooked, soft and golden brown and glazed. (Cooking time depends on the thickness ans size of the chops).
8. You can flash the chops and apples under a grill to achieve a deeper and stickier glaze.
9. Serve each person with one chop, one-half of apple and some of the juices and the glaze. Garnish with some fresh thyme.