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Smothered Pork Chops
Serves 4 Prep 15 min Cook 1 hr 15 min Total 1 hr 30 min Type Meal Origin Creole

Smothered Pork Chops

A Creole smother: bone-in pork chops dredged in seasoned flour, seared, then slow-braised in a dark onion gravy till fork-tender. Eaten over rice.

Serves 4 Prep 15 minutes Cook 1 hour 15 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Pork chops dust with seasoned flour. Sear hard; lift out. A blonde roux builds from the seasoned drippings and 3 tablespoons flour; onion cooks down deep; stock, Worcestershire and thyme join into a thick gravy. The chops return to braise covered 45 minutes on the lowest heat until fork-tender. Served over rice.

Ingredients

  • 4 bone-in pork chops (250-300 g each, 2 cm thick)
  • 4 tablespoons plain flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 onions (large, sliced)
  • 1 green bell pepper (sliced)
  • 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 3 tablespoons plain flour (for gravy)
  • 700 ml hot chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried)

To serve

  • 4 servings cooked white rice
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)

Method

Stage 1 - Season

  1. Whisk the 4 tablespoons flour with salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne and thyme in a wide shallow dish.
  2. Dredge each chop, pressing the flour into the meat. Reserve the seasoned flour.

Stage 2 - Sear

  1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a wide heavy pan over medium-high.
  2. Brown the chops 3-4 minutes per side. Lift onto a plate.

Stage 3 - Roux

  1. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan.
  2. Add 3 tablespoons of the seasoned flour. Whisk to a blonde roux, 2-3 minutes.

Stage 4 - Aromatics

  1. Add onion and bell pepper; cook 8-10 minutes until soft and onion is gold.
  2. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.

Stage 5 - Gravy

  1. Slowly pour in the hot stock, whisking, to a smooth thick gravy.
  2. Add Worcestershire, bay, thyme.
  3. Bring to a simmer.

Stage 6 - Smother

  1. Return the chops and any juices, pushing them into the gravy.
  2. Cover; reduce heat to low; braise 40-50 minutes until the meat is fork-tender.
  3. Taste; adjust salt and pepper.

Stage 7 - Serve

  1. Plate rice; lay a chop on top; ladle gravy generously over.
  2. Scatter parsley.

Notes

  • Bone-in chops: The bone keeps the meat moist over the long braise. Boneless chops dry out.
  • Don't rush the onion: Deep gold onion is the gravy's character. Pale onion gives pale gravy.
  • Smother is a verb: The cooking technique here is the dish. Don't rush the slow braise step.

Storage

  • Refrigerate 4 days. Better the next day.
  • Freezes 3 months.

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