Rub the spice mixture evenly on both sides of each pork chop. Cover and refrigerate for 90 minutes. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Whisk together the apple butter, water, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and salt and set aside.
To make polenta, bring water to a boil and add salt. Slowly whisk in the polenta, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes.
Once cooked, stir in butter, pepper, parmesan and more salt if needed.
While the polenta is cooking, preheat vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet to medium high. Add the pork chops to pan and sear for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and cover with foil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter. Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, apples, and thyme and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Stir in the apple butter mixture and return the pork chops to the pan, covering in some of the sauce. Cook over low heat until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 °F (63 °C). This should take 4-5 minutes each side.
Serve the pork chops over polenta with apples/apple butter sauce on top.