Braised Pork Chops

1. Preheat oven to 300F.

2. Peel carrots and cut into large 2 inch chunks. Peel onion and cut in half and then cut each half into four wedges.

3. Peel and core apples and cut into large 1 inch chunks (I got a dozen pieces per apple). Peel and thinly slice ginger.

4. Grind fennel seed in a spice grinder or Magic Bullet. Combine with nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Rub over pork to thoroughly coat.

5. Heat cooking fat over medium-high heat in a small stock pot or extra-large oven-safe frying pan (if you have a Le Creucet, even better!).

6. Add ginger slices and cook 3-4 minutes until browned and fragrant. Remove ginger (unless you love big ginger chunks).

7. Add pork to oil and brown on all sides (you may have to do this in 2 or 3 batches), adding more cooking fat if needed. Remove browned pork from pan and set aside.

8. Add onion and carrots to pan and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more cooking fat if needed.

9. Add pork back to pot (nudging pork in between carrots and onion). Add wine to pot. Add apple to the top.

10. Cover and place in the oven and bake for 1 hour 25 minutes. Make sure pork has an internal temperature of 145F.