# Pork 'n' Apples **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475 "2006-03-29T23:01:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/1 "2006-03-29T23:01:28Z")
A question I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a valid answer to. Why is pork almost always served with applesauce? ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/2 "2006-03-29T23:02:18Z")
It tastes good. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/3 "2006-03-29T23:09:26Z")
WAG - something acidic to contrast with the fairly fatty meat (which tasty pork should be 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/4 "2006-03-29T23:10:33Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/5 "2006-03-29T23:11:20Z")
It’s not _always_ apple sauce. Sometimes it’s baked apples. Or apple fritters. Or an apple glaze. Mmm. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/6 "2006-03-29T23:19:17Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/7 "2006-03-30T00:43:45Z")
Let’s let the mavens in Cafe Society take this on. Moved. **samclem** ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/8 "2006-03-30T00:52:13Z")
I like apples ‘n’ onions with pork, instead of applesauce. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/9 "2006-03-30T01:03:02Z")
> [@dinahmoe](#): > > 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.) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/10 "2006-03-30T01:58:33Z")
Peter Brady: Porkchops and Applesauce? Carol Brady: What’s wrong with your lip? ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/11 "2006-03-30T04:36:06Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/12 "2006-03-30T06:53:02Z")
IIRC there was a reason, something to do with the apples neutralizing a nasty worm thing which is often found in pork. [Here’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=314697&highlight=pork) the thread which deals in it - sorry don’t have time to summarize. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/13 "2006-03-30T10:11:45Z")
Just for the record, we never make it with apple or any other fruit. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/14 "2006-03-30T10:12:47Z")
And I also had no idea anyone did until now. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/15 "2006-03-30T10:33:00Z")
Bwah? Pork and … apples? Is this, like salted watermelon, some unholy abomination that I had somehow managed to live 20+ years without hearing about? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/16 "2006-03-30T10:59:13Z")
Unsweetened marmalade used as a glaze in the last few minutes of cooking. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/17 "2006-03-30T12:19:19Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/18 "2006-03-30T17:07:12Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/19 "2006-03-30T17:16:59Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > 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? 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. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475/20 "2006-03-30T17:53:00Z")
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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pork-n-apples/350475.md?page=2)