Smothered Pork Chops

By Foodiewife

This is comfort food, at it's best. Pork chops are seared and roasted and smothered with plenty of onions. A quick pan sauce is made with buttermilk and chicken broth, and you have a dinner that is easy enough for a work night dinner!

Ingredients

• CAJUN SEASONING BLEND:
• 4 bone-in center cut pork chops, about 1-inch thick
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning, see recipe below
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2/3 cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons white pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt, optional

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Pat the pork chops dry; season the chops with salt and Cajun seasoning. Pour the flour into a shallow bowl. Dredge the pork chops in the flour to coat, and tap off any excess. Reserve the remaining flour.

In an oven-proof skillet (cast iron is my personal favorite) heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the chops and sear until browned, 2 to 3 minutes turn over and put into the oven. Roast until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F (about 20 minutes). Transfer to a plate; cover loosely with foil. Drain any excess fat.

Note: Can you cook the chops on the stove top? Yes, but I find that searing and roasting yields better results and less risk of overcooked, dried chops. You can use boneless chops, but they can dry out much quicker than chops with the bone-on.

Add the butter, onion, garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved flour to the skillet and cook, stirring 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth, and Dijon, and the buttermilk and bring to a boil and cook until reduced by one-third, about 2 minutes.

Return the chops to the pan, including the juice.

Perfect with a side of mashed potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes.

CAJUN SEASONING BLEND:

Mix all ingredients together and store in a small jar.

I save glass spice jars and re-use them for homemade spice mixes. Super easy, cost-effective!

(Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine, December 2011 Issue)

To see how I made this, please click on the recipe source to my food blog "A Feast for the Eyes".