Savory Southern-Style Smothered Pork Chops

This recipe makes four pork chops, pan-fried to perfection and complemented by a savory onion sauce. In addition to the pork, you will need 4 cloves of garlic, 1 large yellow onion, and a tablespoon each of flour and butter, chicken broth, buttermilk, and water. Make sure you also have vegetable oil, poultry seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly season the pork chops before cooking by adding the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper to each chop. This seasoning will create mouthwatering flavors and set the foundation for a healthy and hearty plate of comfort food. Keep in mind that pork is naturally lean and a bit bland, so seasoning is especially important to bring out the natural flavors and enhance the overall taste and texture.

Once the chops are seasoned, it's time to cook! Use a large frying pan and heat the vegetable oil. Brown the pork chops on medium-high heat, cooking for five minutes on each side. Take the chops out of the pan and set aside. For optimal flavor, you should use the same pan to make the onion gravy, removing the excess oil first.

Slice up the yellow onion and add to the pan along with butter and a generous pinch of salt. Using medium heat, sauté onions for 10 minutes or until well-browned. Caramelized onions make for the best flavors with the tender pork chops. Stir occasionally as the basis for your delicious onion gravy comes together.

Once the onions are ready, add the garlic and flour to the pan. Stir the garlic in first, mixing for 1 minute before putting the flour in and cooking for another 2 minutes. Make sure you have the rest of the ingredients measured and ready to go for a seamless cooking process.

It's time to pour 1 cup of chicken broth, and 1/4 cup each of buttermilk and water into the pan over the sautéed onions. Bring the mixture to a simmer and make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to free up any sticky browned bits. By now, the smells of the onion gravy should be taking over your kitchen and making you hungry.

Simmer the onion gravy on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then. If the mixture seems to be too thick, add a splash of water to achieve the desired consistency. Once it's been simmered to satisfaction, you get to take on the final step and combine the pork chops and gravy.

Place pork chops into the pan, making sure to get any remaining juices off of the plate and into the mixture. The juicier the better! Coat chops in gravy and cook for 10 or 15 minutes. Once the pork chops are prepared to your liking, do a quick temperature check. Chops should reach at least 145 degrees to be safely cooked all the way through. Feel free to add extra seasoning to taste if you want.

It's time to serve! White rice goes nicely with these smothered pork chops, soaking up the gravy and taking care of your hunger. While this meal is marvelous on its own, you can add other side dishes like corn muffins or cornbread. French, sourdough, or garlic bread pairs well with pork chops, too. If you want to add some vegetables, try green beans, peas, or broccoli for a healthy side that rounds out your meal and leaves you going back for seconds.

After your hard work in the kitchen, you can finish off your smothered pork chops with a well-earned glass of wine. As a white meat, pork chops are ideally served with rich red wine. A flavorful shiraz or pinot noir brings a beautiful boldness to this meal, so grab your wine glass and celebrate a successful recipe.