Smothered Pork Chops with Gravy

Smothered pork chops with gravy

These are a family favorite and just the thing for any kind of weather. If you’re looking for some warm and tasty comfort food, look no further than these amazing savory pork chops braised in their own gravy. Here’s how you make them.

Ingredients

·      4-6 pork chops, bone in

·      1 tbsp Cajun Legacy Creole Heat Cajun Seasoning

·      Salt/pepper to taste

·      ½ tbsp garlic powder

·      1 onion, chopped

·      5 ribs of celery, sliced

·      1 bell pepper

·      3 cloves minced garlic

·      1 can Rotel Tomatoes

·      2 cups all purpose flour

·      Corn starch (for thickening)

·      1 32 oz box chicken stock

·      1 32 oz box beef broth

·      1 tbsp Bacon Up pork fat

 

Method

Prepare the chops

·      Season your chops liberally. Salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder. Both sides.

·      in a skillet or Dutch oven (must have a lid and be deep enough) melt your pork fat over high heat.

·      Sear your chops till very brown. About 3 mins per side. There will be gradoux on the bottom, that’s fine, that’s where the flavor comes in.

·      Once browned, pull from the skillet and add your Trinity (celery, bell pepper, onion) use the juices to deglaze the bottom of the pan, once soft, add your garlic. Continue to saute till fragrant and vegetables are soft. Reduce to med-low

·      Add your flour to the vegetables while stirring so as to prevent clumping. All veggies will be coated. Continue to stir over med-low heat until the flour is a dark tan or light brown.

·      Add a cup of chicken broth to deglaze any remaining burnt parts on the bottom

·      Once fully deglazed, add your chops back in to the pot, and add your broth’s until the chops are covered.

·      Add any drippings from the resting plate

·      Add your Rotel and mix well.

·      Increase heat to high and bring to a slow boil.

·      Reduce heat to simmer, and cover.

·      Let cook on simmer for 2-3 hours depending on amount of meat you are cooking.

Make the Gravy

Once the chops are fork tender, pull from the pot, leaving the gravy. It will be thin. Take your cornstarch and place in a separate bowl, slowly stirring in COLD water to emulsify. Once fully dissolved, while stirring the gravy, slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the gravy to thicken. Turn up the heat and continue to stir until the desired consistency is reached. A good thick gravy should coat the back of a spoon, and when you pull your finger down the center, both sides stay without running.

Serve over long grain rice.