Southern Style Smothered Pork Chops

This classic dish was created in the southern parts of the USA, although I don't think anyone can trace it's true origin. Nonetheless, this is a great way to get tender, flavorful pork chops that are not dependent on managing the internal temperature of the meat, which is often required with pork.

Julian's Smothered Pork Chops

Here a longer, slower cook either in the oven or on the cooktop is used to make the chops nearly fall-off-the-bone tender. Cooking them in the onion gravy after browning adds flavor and makes for a great sauce for buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Today I'm just making two but the recipe easily scales up or down as needed. 

Thicker than usual but nicely marbled
and used in my recipe today.

Typical Thin Cut Bone-in Rib Pork Chops
Used in the Classic Recipe

Today my chops are on the thicker side (about 3/4 inch) and not the usual cut for this recipe, so I'm going to cook them a bit longer, as noted in the recipe below which was sourced from both American's Test Kitchen and several recipes online from cooks who actually live in the south. In most versions they are transferred to the oven to finish the slow simmer, but this can just as easily be done on the cooktop as I did today. 

Ready to Serve

Ingredients (serves 4 adults)
salt - standard table salt or flakes

5 ounces bacon (about 5 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups chicken broth (low-sodium or diluted)
vegetable oil
4 bone-in, rib-end pork chops, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick

   (substitute any cut of pork chops of a similar thickness)
Ground black pepper
2 medium yellow onions, halved pole-to-pole and sliced thin (about 3 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons water
2 medium cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

  (substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried chopped parsley

Instructions

Dry brine the chops by rinsing each chop and drying it. Then sprinkle with a light coating of salt and place in the refrigerator on a rimmed plate for 4-8 hours prior to making this dish. If you don't have time for this, you can still make the dish as noted below but may need to increase the final cooking time. 

Fry bacon in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in saucepan. Leave 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the pot and reserve excess. Reduce heat to medium-low and gradually whisk flour into fat until smooth. Cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is light brown, the color of peanut butter, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth slowly. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; cover and set aside off heat.

Add the reserved bacon fat to a 12-inch skillet set over high heat until smoking, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, dry pork chops with paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2-teaspoon pepper. Brown chops in single layer until deep golden on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip chops and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chops to large plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon oil, onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and water to now-empty skillet. Using wooden spoon, scrape and browned browned bits on pan bottom and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Return chops to skillet in single layer, covering chops with onions. Pour in warm sauce and any juices collected from pork; add bay leaves. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until pork is tender and paring knife inserted into chops meets very little resistance, about 30-45 minutes depending on thickness of chops.

Transfer chops to warmed serving platter and tent with foil. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer sauce rapidly, stirring frequently, until thickened to gravy-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves, and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Cover chops with sauce, sprinkle with reserved bacon, and chopped parsley and serve.