Southern-Style Smothered Pork Chops
By Diane UngerPublished on August 19, 2016
Time
2½ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Try to find chops of the same thickness for even cooking. For proper sauce consistency, it’s important to measure the amount of fat left in the skillet before making the roux. Serve the chops and gravy with plenty of steamed white rice.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Combine seasoned salt, onion powder, granulated garlic, paprika, and 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Pat chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle each chop with 1 teaspoon spice mixture (1/2 teaspoon per side).
- Combine 1/2 cup flour and 4 teaspoons spice mixture in shallow dish. Dredge chops lightly in seasoned flour, shake off excess, and transfer to prepared rack.
- Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 2 chops to skillet and fry until deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Let excess oil drip from chops, then return chops to rack. Repeat with remaining 2 chops.
- Transfer fat left in skillet to liquid measuring cup. Return 1/4 cup fat to skillet and stir in remaining 1/2 cup flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until roux is color of peanut butter, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onions and remaining 4 teaspoons spice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until onions begin to soften slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Slowly stir water into roux mixture until gravy is smooth and free of lumps. Bring to simmer and cook until gravy begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Pour half of gravy into 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Nestle browned chops in dish, overlapping slightly as needed. Pour remaining gravy over chops and cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until chops are fully tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Carefully transfer chops to serving dish. (Chops will be delicate and may fall apart.) Use wide spoon to skim fat from surface of gravy. Add vinegar to gravy and season with pepper to taste. Pour gravy over chops. Serve.
Time
2½ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For the most tender, moist braised pork chops, we started with 3/4- to 1-inch-thick bone-in blade chops. We made a seasoning mixture of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, onion powder, granulated garlic, paprika, and pepper, and we used the mixture in three places: on the chops, in the flour dredge that the chops are coated in, and in the gravy. We first browned the coated chops well and then built a gravy in the same skillet using vegetable oil and flour. We cooked the roux until it was the color of peanut butter, stirred in onions and water, and poured the mixture over the chops. After cooking for about 1 1/2 hours, the pork chops were supertender and flavorful from the thickened gravy.
Before You Begin
Try to find chops of the same thickness for even cooking. For proper sauce consistency, it’s important to measure the amount of fat left in the skillet before making the roux. Serve the chops and gravy with plenty of steamed white rice.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Combine seasoned salt, onion powder, granulated garlic, paprika, and 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Pat chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle each chop with 1 teaspoon spice mixture (1/2 teaspoon per side).
- Combine 1/2 cup flour and 4 teaspoons spice mixture in shallow dish. Dredge chops lightly in seasoned flour, shake off excess, and transfer to prepared rack.
- Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 2 chops to skillet and fry until deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Let excess oil drip from chops, then return chops to rack. Repeat with remaining 2 chops.
- Transfer fat left in skillet to liquid measuring cup. Return 1/4 cup fat to skillet and stir in remaining 1/2 cup flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until roux is color of peanut butter, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onions and remaining 4 teaspoons spice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until onions begin to soften slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Slowly stir water into roux mixture until gravy is smooth and free of lumps. Bring to simmer and cook until gravy begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Pour half of gravy into 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Nestle browned chops in dish, overlapping slightly as needed. Pour remaining gravy over chops and cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until chops are fully tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Carefully transfer chops to serving dish. (Chops will be delicate and may fall apart.) Use wide spoon to skim fat from surface of gravy. Add vinegar to gravy and season with pepper to taste. Pour gravy over chops. Serve.
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