Sheet Pan Suppers: Thick Cut Pork Chops with Warm Apple Slaw
Olive oil cooking spray
1/2 head napa cabbage, shredded (about 6 cups)
2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored and sliced into thin matchsticks
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 bone-in pork loin chops (each 1 1/2 inches thick; 4 to 5 pounds total)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. pure maple syrup or honey
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 scallions (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 375 F with one rack about 4 inches from the broiler and another rack in the center position. Mist a sheet pan with cooking spray. Toss together the cabbage and apples with the olive oil, 1 T. of the vinegar, 1/2 tsp. of the salt, and the pepper on the prepared sheet pan. Place a sheet pan-size wire rack over the slaw, and mist it with cooking spray. Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel, and season them on both sides with the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt. Whisk together the mustard, maple syrup, the remaining T. cider vinegar, and the fresh thyme in a small bowl. Spread this over both sides of the pork chops. Place the chops evenly apart on the rack over the slaw. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat (but not touching the bone) registers 130 F, about 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven to broil. Broil the pork chops and slaw until the chops are golden-crusted and the thermometer registers 145 F. Remove the pork chops from the wire rack to rest on a cutting board, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for 10 minutes while you mix the scallions into the slaw. Serve the chops warm, topped with heaps of slaw.