Smothered Pork Chops

This recipe is one of the few exceptions to our typical style of cooking proteins. We’re all about the ‘give it a good, hard sear to lock in the juices and don’t overcook it’, but the method here allows for a tender, braised pork chop that’s not dry on the finish. Don’t be intimidated by the 2+ hours this takes to cook. There is only 15-20 minutes of actual work, and the rest is the pork cooking undisturbed.

Although this recipe is very simple, using a pan with a lid is crucial. If for some reason you do not have skillet with a fitted lid, you can do a pan-seared pork chop instead. Here is a trusty recipe for that method: https://www.thekitchn.com/pan-fried-pork-chops-recipe-257235 . You can still cook down your saucy onions per our recipe below and add your pan-seared pork chops in before serving, should you need to go that route. Otherwise, we press on!

Ingredients

1 Large or 2 Medium Sweet or Spanish Onions, Sliced Thin

3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

2-4 Pork Chops (depending on family size and what will fit in your pan)

Roughly 2 cups of chicken stock (will vary depending on pan)

2-3 Heaping TBSP flour

Seasoning salt or Cajun Seasoning to taste

Olive Oil (for pan)

Fresh Rosemary or Fresh Thyme

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Begin by slicing your onions into thin strips and mincing your garlic. Set aside.

Pat your porkchops dry on both sides with a paper towel. Set aside. Heat your largest skillet with a lid over high heat. Add olive oil. Season your porkchops well with salt and pepper on both sides.

Add one pork chop at a time to the pan so as not to overcrowd or bring the overall temperature of the pan down too much. You should hear a nice sizzle with each pork chop! Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned.

Remove the pork chops from the pan and onto a plate. Set aside. Add your onions to the pan and saute for about 5 minutes until they soften. Add the garlic and stir. Then add the flour and stir around for 2-3 minutes. The onions will be thick and pasty.

Add chicken stock slowly while stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping any bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.

Add your pork chops to the pan. The chicken stock should be close to the top, but not covering them. If you need to add a little more at this time, you can. Liberally sprinkle your seasoning salt across the top and garnish with either fresh rosemary, thyme or both. Reduce heat to low and cover. Put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the lid for the next two hours.

Meanwhile, prepare your green beans and rice (see below). Orzo pasta or mashed potatoes also work great as a starch with this dish to catch all that yummy onion gravy!

After two hours, uncover and check your chops. They should be very tender and break apart easily with a fork. If not, cover and give them a little longer. Serve over rice with green beans on the side.

For the green beans:

Snap off any stems on the green beans. Dice a little bit of onion and a couple cloves of garlic. Sauté the onion in a medium pan with a little olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, followed by the green beans, snapping them in half as you add them to the pot in batches while stirring. Add a cup of your leftover chicken stock. The green beans will not be fully submerged. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a little brown sugar. Cover and simmer for 30min+, or until your pork chops are done.