A question I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a valid answer to.
Why is pork almost always served with applesauce?
It tastes good.
WAG - something acidic to contrast with the fairly fatty meat (which tasty pork should be 
)
In preparation, pork is usually enhanced with savory spices. The sweetness of fruit intermingles quite nicely.
It’s not always applesauce. Applesauce is usually linked to pork chops. Ham more often is paired with pineapples. Personally, I’ll cut pears or peaches, place them cut side down in about a 1/4" of balsamic, champagne or sherry vinegar, and grill them. Works with any pork dish.
It’s not always apple sauce. Sometimes it’s baked apples. Or apple fritters. Or an apple glaze. Mmm.
Most reasons have been covored, but Pork when roasted or baked can often get dry, so that a sauce is an especially useful acomponayment with pork. Apple is often chosen because they are plentiful, their acidity helps cut any fattyness of the pork and because the flavours go well.
Let’s let the mavens in Cafe Society take this on.
Moved. samclem
I like apples ‘n’ onions with pork, instead of applesauce.
I made country pork ribs a few weeks ago. (Recipe below.) A friend brought over apples, onions and raisins fried in butter. Oh, man, was that good!
Country Pork Ribs
Five or six pork ribs, about 2" x 2" x 12", no bones
Mole powder (ground California chilis)
Cumin
Savory
Garlic salt
Coarse ground pepper
Olive oil
Mix the spices and oil in a large measuring cup. Put the ribs and marinade in a one-gallon freezer bag, being sure that the ribs are fully coated. Put in the fridge overnight. Turn in the morning, again making sure the meat is coated with the marinade. Start the coals around six. Grill over charcoal until they’re done. (You don’t have to marinate them overnight, but I always do.)
Peter Brady: Porkchops and Applesauce?
Carol Brady: What’s wrong with your lip?
I cooked some pork tenderloin medallions last night and didn’t really have anything to go with them. I did have a can of pear halves. I sliced one half up and put it in the pan while the meat was resting and threw in a little of the syrup. It was just sweet and salty so I put in a splash of red wine vinegar. That worked, it was actually just pretty damn good for something off the cuff. Fresh pear would have been better, couldn’t really cook the canned pear at all but it deglazed the pan and made the pork much less boring.
IIRC there was a reason, something to do with the apples neutralizing a nasty worm thing which is often found in pork.
Here’s the thread which deals in it - sorry don’t have time to summarize.
Just for the record, we never make it with apple or any other fruit.
And I also had no idea anyone did until now.
Bwah? Pork and … apples?
Is this, like salted watermelon, some unholy abomination that I had somehow managed to live 20+ years without hearing about?
Unsweetened marmalade used as a glaze in the last few minutes of cooking.
Ooo, I have got to try that fried apples, onions and raisin side dish. Do you have any details? Are the apples sliced thin like the onions? Do you add the raisins at the end, or are they there for the party from the start? Are they sauteed in butter?
On another note, does anybody know if frying the apples does anything to the carbohydrate level of the fruit? Mr. singular is on Atkins, but I’d like to try making this for him. Thanks in advance!
Pork chops are properly served with turnip greens and biscuits, not apple sauce!
Seriously, it seems to be a northern thing, or at least a non-southern thing. I don’t think I ever saw apples in any form served with pork (whether pork chops, fresh pork, or cured ham) when I was growing up the south.
The apples are cut into wedges – six per apple, I think. The onions were similarly cut. No other details. I asked, ‘So did you just sauté everything in butter?’ He said that’s about it. The apple skins were yellowish-red after they were cooked. He said he just used red apples.
I’m watching carbs too, but I figure if I splurge once a week it’s okay.
Another way (probably an English idea since in requires deep frying. )
Cut 1/4 inch thich apple rings, dip ,them in batter and deep fry them. Serve with the pork chops.