Marrakesh-style Pork

7
Points® value
Total Time
3 hr 18 min
Prep
18 min
Cook
3 hr
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Slow-cooked pork chops get a sweet-tart smothering of onion with apricots and ginger in this North African–inspired dish.

Ingredients

Olive oil

2 tsp(s)

Uncooked lean trimmed boneless pork chop

1 pound(s)

Kosher salt

1 tsp(s), divided

Black pepper

¼ tsp(s)

Red onion

1 large, quartered and thinly sliced

Dried apricot halves

24 half/halves, cut into 1/4 inch strips

Unsweetened apple juice

¾ cup(s)

Ginger root

2 tsp(s), peeled and minced

Fresh thyme

1½ tsp(s), chopped, or 1/2 tsp dried

Cinnamon sticks

1 item(s), 3 inch stick

Cilantro

¼ cup(s), or mint

Instructions

  1. In a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, warm oil. Sprinkle pork chops with 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper. To skillet, add pork and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. To skillet, add onion and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Cook, stirring, until onion is golden, about 8 minutes. In a 5- or 6-qt slow cooker, combine half of onion and half of apricots. Top with pork chops and pour apple juice over. Mix together remaining onion, apricots, ginger, and thyme in a medium bowl. Spoon over pork and tuck in cinnamon stick.
  3. Cover and cook until pork is fork-tender, 3 to 4 hours on High or 6 to 8 hours on Low. Remove and discard cinnamon. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and onion.
  4. Per serving: 1 pork chop and 1/3 cup onion mixture

Notes

Serving idea: Make this dish more authentic by serving it atop whole-wheat couscous, with unsweetened mint tea on the side.