Pork Steaks with Sautéed Apples and Crispy Sage

If you told me 3 years ago that I would be cooking Pork with Apples I would’ve told you, you are insane! I despised cooked fruit in any way, shape or form and paired with meat? You would have had to tie me down and forcefully shove it in my mouth to get me to taste it. I really didn’t like sweet flavours with meat.

Fast forward a few years and here I am, happily cooking pork, sautéing apples and enjoying it! My taste buds have definitely come a long way since starting my food blog. I always enjoyed food and cooking but being introduced to food, ingredients and combinations I would’ve never thought of has really opened up new worlds for me, and obviously your taste buds mature as you do. I know there are still plenty of people out there who can’t stand fruit or sweet flavours with meat but I urge you to give it a go.

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If the thought of eating apple with pork really turns you off then that’s fine! But I do suggest you give the marinade a go. Even though it contains Apple juice, it’s not sweet enough to make it obvious that you’ve used apple juice but you will not believe the difference it makes to the pork. Something in apples just work so well with pork and it almost makes the pork more savoury, which is not such a bad thing.

I served my pork steaks with the sautéed apples, crispy sage and the most deliciously buttery mashed potatoes. The crispy sage is really just a ‘cheffy’ touch but it does add nice texture and flavour to the dish. If you feel like adding it to your meal, simply fry fresh sage in the oil you will be frying the pork steaks in, this way you get your crispy sage but you also infuse that flavour into the oil which in turn will infuse the meat with delicious sage aromas.

Serves 4

Marinade:

• 4 pork steaks
• 1 cup apple juice
• 2tbsn lemon juice
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1tsp saltSautéed Apples:
• 3 apples, peeled and sliced
• 3tbsn sugar
• 1tbsn fresh sage, chopped
• 1 glass (about 300ml) white wine
• 2tbsn butter, cubed
• crispy sage, to serve
• mashed potatoes, to serve

1. Combine the pork with all the marinade ingredients. Cover and allow to marinade for at least 10 minutes.
2. In a large frying pan, sauté the apples for 2 minutes before adding the sugar. If the sugar forms clumps, don’t worry. Just keep on stirring and it will eventually melt. Allow the apples to cook for 5-6 minutes keeping an eye on it, the sugar will make it burn easily. Add the chopped sage and set aside.
3. Heat a large frying pan and add 3tbsn oil. Fry the fresh sage now if you will be serving it. Fry the pork steaks for 4 minutes a side (if they are 2-3cm thick). You want the pork to be completely cooked but still moist. I wouldn’t fry them for any longer than 6 minutes a side.
4. Remove the steaks from the pan and set on a plate covered with foil to rest for 5 minutes.
5. De-glaze the pan with the white wine. Add the butter and stir to combine.
6. Serve the pork steaks with the sautéed apples, crispy sage and the wine sauce on mashed potatoes.