French Mustard Pork and Apple Stir-Fry

Name: French Mustard Pork and Apple Stir-Fry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1¼ lb (565 g) pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into ¾-inch thick strips or bite-sized pieces; 2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch thick wedges or batons; 2 medium (60 g) shallots, thinly sliced; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced; 3 tbsp (45 g) Dijon mustard; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream; ½ cup (120 ml) chicken or vegetable stock; 3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, divided into two portions; 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil or neutral cooking oil; to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A quick, elegant stir-fry that brings together tender pork tenderloin, crisp-tender apples, and a silky Dijon mustard cream sauce infused with fresh thyme. This French-inspired dish is ready in under 30 minutes and works beautifully over rice, egg noodles, or crusty bread.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Total: 27 min
Makes: 4 servings

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Steps

Before you start

Pat the pork dry with paper towels to ensure good browning
Prep all ingredients before you start cooking—the stir-fry moves quickly
Use a large skillet or wok (12 inches or larger) to avoid crowding the meat

1
Brown the porkOven 375°F / 190°C
- Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat (about 375°F / 190°C).
- Once the oil shimmers and the butter foams, working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding, add the pork pieces in a single layer.
- Let them sit undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until golden brown on the bottom, then flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes until light golden on the second side.
- The pork will finish cooking later in the sauce, so aim for medium-brown rather than fully cooked.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper as you cook.
- Transfer to a clean plate.
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Ready when: Pork is light golden brown on the outside but still slightly pink inside (it will cook more in the sauce)
Tip: Don't stir the pork too early—let it develop a good crust before moving it around. Dry meat browns better than wet meat.
2
Cook aromatics and apples
- Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the same skillet.
- Add the sliced shallots and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant.
- Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the apple wedges and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring gently, until the apples begin to soften slightly at the edges but still hold their shape.
- The apples should be crisp-tender, not mushy.
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Ready when: Apples are slightly softened at the edges but still hold their shape; shallots are translucent
Tip: Stir gently to avoid breaking apart the apple pieces. Granny Smith apples hold their texture better than sweeter varieties.
3
Build the sauce
- Whisk together the Dijon mustard, chicken or vegetable stock, and heavy cream in a small bowl until smooth and well combined.
- Pour this mixture into the skillet with the apples and aromatics.
- Add the fresh thyme sprigs.
- Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- The sauce should be creamy and pale golden.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth and well combined
Tip: Whisking the mustard with the cold stock first prevents lumps. Use whole thyme sprigs so they're easy to remove later.
4
Finish cooking the porkOven 300°F / 150°C
- Return the browned pork and any accumulated juices to the skillet.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat (around 300°F / 150°C).
- Simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally and turning the pork pieces in the sauce, until the pork is cooked through (internal temperature of 145°F / 63°C) and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- The sauce should coat the back of a spoon lightly.
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Ready when: Pork reaches 145°F (63°C) internally; sauce has thickened and coats the spoon
Tip: Simmer gently—a rolling boil will cause the cream to separate and look curdled. If this happens, whisk it smooth over low heat.
5
Season and serve
- Remove the skillet from heat.
- Discard the thyme sprigs.
- Taste the stir-fry and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
- The Dijon mustard should be clearly present but balanced by the sweetness of the apples and creaminess of the sauce.
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Tip: Taste before serving—the mustard flavor can fade as the sauce cools, so don't underseason.

Good to know

Tips

For the best browning, pat the pork dry and don't move it around the pan too much—let it sit and develop a crust.
If the apples release too much liquid, remove them with a slotted spoon before making the sauce, then add them back at the end.
This dish is excellent served over buttered egg noodles, rice pilaf, or mashed potatoes to soak up the creamy sauce.
To make it lighter, replace half the heavy cream with Greek yogurt or whole milk, though the sauce will be slightly less rich.

Storage & reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened too much. Do not freeze, as the cream-based sauce and apples do not freeze well.

Substitutions

Granny Smith apples → Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apples. Slightly sweeter apples will work, but reduce the heat and watch them closely so they don't fall apart. Avoid Red Delicious or Gala, which break down too quickly.
heavy cream → crème fraîche or sour cream. Use the same amount. Crème fraîche is more stable if you need to reheat; sour cream may curdle if boiled, so add it off the heat.
fresh thyme sprigs → ½ teaspoon dried thyme or 2 fresh sage leaves. Sage adds a slightly earthier flavor. Dried thyme is stronger, so use half the amount and mix it in during step 3 rather than as a whole sprig.
pork tenderloin → chicken breast or veal cutlets. Cut chicken into similar-sized pieces and reduce cooking time slightly (1–2 minutes total simmering). Veal cooks at the same rate as pork.