Pork Steak with Dijon Apple Sauce
If I had to pick one fruit/vegetable that represents autumn in my mind, I’d go with the apple. Maybe its the apple picking my family and I did every season when I was younger, maybe it was all of the apple pies–I don’t know, but fall is apple time for me. So rather than the usual ciders and sweets, I thought it would be fun to enjoy a savory apple dish today: Pork Steak with Dijon Apple Sauce.
This was an easy and quick dish to prepare that was amazingly delicious. The pork was juicy and bursting with flavor as that shoulder steak is a really tasty, fatty (as in flavorful!) cut of meat. The sauce I prepared to pair with this has a nod towards South Carolina styled barbecue sauces: something based around vinegar and mustard. The sauce was acidic, tart, mustardy, and wonderfully spiced–and best of all, it had plenty of apple (and a bit of fennel for a hint of anisey flavors). 
In addition to the flavor, I was also pretty proud of how that sauce looks. I mean check out the sheen I got on that sauce–you can practically see your reflection in it. With the good amount of vinegar in that sauce, whisking in a bit of cold butter as the very last step emulsifies small particles of butter throughout the sauce, giving it that nice finish (and flavor, of course!).
- 2 lb pork steaks
- salt
- pepper
- ground cinnamon
- butter
- Dijon Apple Sauce
- 1 shallot
- 4-6 cloves garlic
- 2-3 apples
- 1/4 cup white wine (more as needed)
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- ground cloves
- ground cardamom
- ground thyme
- fennel fronds
- 2 Tbsp dijon
- 1 Tbsp butter
Begin by prepping the veggies–finely mince the shallot and garlic, peel and dice the apple, and season the pork steaks with salt, pepper, and a light dusting of cinnamon.
In a hot pan, melt a knob of butter while the oven warms up to 350°F. Brown the steak on both sides for about 2-3 minutes and transfer it to the oven (I put it on a rack so I could reuse the pan) to finish cooking the meat through (when it reaches an internal temperature of 160-170°F).
While you wait on the pork, now is the time to make the sauce. In the pan with the leftover butter/pork fat, sauté the shallot for 2 minutes, add the apples for another 5 minutes, and finally, add the garlic for a minute or two. Then, deglaze the pan with wine.
Add the vinegar, dijon, fennel fronds, and spices to the pan, simmering for about 5-10 minutes, after which, you should puree this mixture in the food processor. Pour this into a saucepan through a strainer and continue to reduce it over medium heat until you’re happy with the consistency.
When the sauce is done, take it off of the heat and quickly whisk in a cold knob of butter to give it a sexy sheen. Finally, plate the steak, top with sauce, and enjoy!
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September 28th, 2008 at 5:02 am
Looks great and what a great spin on the old *pork chops and apple sauce*!
September 28th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Great! Now I’m going to have to dig through my freezer of pork to see if I have any pork steaks. If I don’t, I’m going with a pork chop. This dinner looks fabulous!
September 28th, 2008 at 10:13 am
I love this sauce….perfect for this time of year:D
September 28th, 2008 at 11:10 am
I would agree with the apple and Fall. Plus it’s so versatile in so many sweet and savory dishes. Another winner Mike! Now if I could get some cool Fall weather here I’d be ecstatic!
September 28th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
You done good, Mike! Those steaks look fabulous and the sauce is perfection! Who could ask for more?
September 28th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
That’s like an apple pie steak! Yummmy!
September 28th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I’m in love with that sauce - it sounds and looks fantastic!
September 28th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
you got another winner here, mike… looks so good… perfect for a dinner party…
September 28th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Ummm, I could have that gravy alone like a soup. SO…when does mea become a chop or a steak? Hmmmm……
September 28th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
oh i love the addition of dijon to the traditional applesauce. it sounds delicious! the picture of the raw pork is beautiful, too!
September 29th, 2008 at 3:42 am
The thought of that sauce has made me salivate!
September 29th, 2008 at 8:14 am
things i love (in no particular order): pig, cinnamon, apples, mustard. based on that, i have no doubt i’d love this meal. very nice, mike.
September 29th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Love this sauce pairing with these pork steaks. Nicely done, and yes, perfect for fall.
September 29th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Lovely photos and it looks absolutely delicious. That sauce sounds divine.
September 29th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Oh, I miss pork steaks. I used to eat them all the time in St. Louis, but the cut must not be very popular here. It is real hard to find them! Looks great!
September 29th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
We never serve our pork with applesauce but the way you did your sauce may make me want to try this combo.
September 30th, 2008 at 3:11 am
apples are so wonderfully versatile and i love the way you add dijon to it to give the sauce a wonderful sharpness. i always find your creations exceptional mike!
September 30th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
A dijon apple sauce on pork sounds really good!
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:53 am
I agree with you on apples all the way. They are the perfect fall fruit. Best is going to pick them or stopping at the little road side stand to grab a boatload.
Pork + apples = victory.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Delicious looking dish! I’d love to try the sauce with pork shoulder too.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
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