This Southern Smothered Pork Chops Recipe is pure comfort food. Lightly breaded pork chops are smothered in a rich savory and well seasoned brown gravy resulting in the perfect Southern classic.
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The Lowdown of This Smothered Pork Chops
One of my fave dishes growing up was my mama’s smothered pork chop recipe. Being from Mississippi, she would serve it after church for Sunday Supper letting those chops simmer away in that crazy delish gravy.
I would add them to white rice and let that gravy soak into every grain. You won’t turn back after you try her smothered pork chops cooked the right way.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Southern Smothered Pork Chops
- Vegetable Oil: You can use this or any neutral oil like canola to get a nice golden brown crust.
- Pork Chops: I prefer using bone-in for additional flavor and juiciness boos. You can grab boneless pork loin chops or even pork shoulder steaks.
- Seasoned Salt & Black Pepper: Season to taste and don’t be shy.
- All-Purpose Flour: We use this for our seasoned coating and to create our roux base to thicken up the gravy.
- Onion: They give us texture and flavor.
- Minced Garlic: If garlic ain’t in it, it ain’t poppin like it should. That aromatic kick improves everything.
- Chicken Stock: This, along with water, helps create a flavorful gravy. Broth is fine to use if you don’t have stock. You can also grab beef or vegetable flavored instead as well.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This is my secret ingredient y’all. It gives savory pizazz to anything and everything you add it to.
- Creole Seasoning: The blend of spices adds such a unique Southern kick of flavor.
- Hot Sauce: While you can definitely leave this out, I love adding a little to get some more spice in the gravy.
How to Make Smothered Pork Chops
1
Season
up those chops with salt and pepper.
2
Next,
dredge the chops in flour, brown on both sides, then set aside.
3
Heat
the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Brown the chops in the skillet on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
4
Then
remove the pork chops and drain that oil on paper towels.
PRO TIP: Don’t overcrowd the pan. It will drop the heat. The pork chops won’t cook evenly resulting in them being soggy. Fry in batches or grab a bigger skillet.
5
Add
in the onions and sauté for a few minutes until softened and color has developed.
6
Toss
in that garlic and let it go for about 30 seconds.
7
Now
start the roux. Shift the garlic and onions to the side and add in the remaining oil so you can brown up that flour. We want to get a good toffee color. This can take about 5-8 minutes.
8
Stir
in the chicken stock and water to get the gravy liquid going.
9
Bring
to a boil then add in the Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, and hot sauce.
10
Reduce
the heat, return the pork chops to the skillet.
11
Cover
and simmer until tender.
12
Once
they are sauced up, they will be good to go.
Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
This Southern Smothered Pork Chops Recipe is pure comfort food. Lightly breaded pork chops are smothered in a rich savory and well seasoned brown gravy resulting in the perfect Southern classic.
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb bone in pork chops patted dry with paper towels
- Seasoned salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 6 tbsp vegetable oil separated
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon separated
- 1 medium sized onion diced
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp creole seasoning
- 1/2 tsp hot sauce
- Rice for serving
Instructions
- Season your dried pork chops with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge pork chops lightly in ½ cup of flour then let the chops sit for about 15 minutes to set.
- Heat 4 tablespoons of oil (or a little more if you have a super large pan) in large pan over medium heat. Pan-fry in skillet on both sides, about 2-3 minutes each side. Once browned, remove pork chops from skillet and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
- Next scrape the bottom of the pan getting up all of the browned bits. Add the onion to the pan and sauté for about 5 minutes until a bit browned and tender. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds so they don't burn..
- Push onions and garlic to one side of the pan then add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to skillet then sprinkle in remaining flour. Constantly stir allowing the flour to brown until it reaches a toffee color (about 5-8 minutes) then pour in chicken stock and a 1/2 cup of water and whisk together until smooth.
- Turn heat to high to bring the gravy to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in Worcestershire sauce, creole seasoning and hot sauce then turn heat down to medium.
- Add back in pork chops and put lid on pan for about 25-35 minutes or until sauce has thickened up (don't stop if it is still too thin of a gravy) and coats the back of the spoon and pork chops are nice and tender..
- Serve over rice and garnish with parsley if you desire.
Video
Notes
Make sure you really allow the gravy to thicken. Take the time to let it simmer until it coats the back of a spoon. It will also continue to thicken once the heat is turned off if it is resting.
- Let it Cool: First, allow the pork chops and gravy to cool to room temperature. This helps to maintain their texture and prevent condensation inside the storage container, which could make the gravy watery.
- Airtight Container: Transfer the pork chops and gravy into an airtight container. If possible, lay the pork chops flat and cover them with gravy to help retain their moisture and flavor.
- Refrigerate Promptly: Place the airtight container in the refrigerator. Smothered pork chops will last for 3-4 days when stored properly in the fridge.
- Freezing Option: For longer storage, you can freeze the pork chops and gravy. Use a freezer-safe airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They should maintain their best quality for about 2-3 months.
- Reheating: When you’re ready to enjoy again, you can reheat the pork chops in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven. If reheating from frozen, it’s best to thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 413mg | Potassium: 736mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 4.4mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2.2mg
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How to Serve Pork Chops and Gravy
- Rice: The real Southern way to serve smothered pork chops with brown gravy is over some white rice.
- Mashed Potatoes: Those pork chops and gravy can get sopped up with garlic mashed potatoes, sour cream mashed potatoes, or cream cheese mashed potatoes.
- Southern Feast: Serve them up with some baked mac and cheese, collard greens, candied yams, cornbread, and sweet potato pie y’all.
- Sandwiches: Y’all can turn this into the best sandwich ever by adding a smothered chop in between slices of garlic bread or no-knead bread. Slice off the bone for easier eating.
- Classic Comfort: Serve these up with green bean casserole, mashed sweet potatoes, glazed carrots and angel biscuits with a dessert of caramel cake.
This pork chop casserole
has got juicy, bone in pork chops, seared and then placed on top of a bed a rice mixed with creamy mushroom soup and veggies!
These fried pork chops
are marinated in a spicy buttermilk then breaded in a flavorful flour dredge creating the ultimate crunch and deliciousness.
They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“I mastered this recipe on the 1st try and it was divine. Doubled the recipe for a family dinner and they were begging for more. The gravy was so good and the chops were ever so tender. I will keep this one for the record books because it definitely hits out of the park. Thanks for sharing your family gems.”
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 ratio gluten-free flour for the breading and the roux.
- Add Mushrooms: Mix in some chopped mushrooms like portobello, cremini or even oyster mushrooms when you cook the onions and garlic.
- Add Cream: Just a splash of heavy cream will create a super rich and creamy sauce.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Grab the Right Chops: I love using bone-in pork chops because they are more flavorful and juicy. Grab center-cut for even more flavor.
- Don’t Overcrowd: Fry in batches instead or use a larger pan so they can cook evenly and not get soggy.
- Simmer Until Tender: Don’t stop simmering until those chops are tender and cooked through. The sauce needs to thicken up as well. If it doesn’t coat the back of a spoon, don’t stop the heat.
- Don’t Overcook: Chops can get tough if you cook them too long. A safe internal temp of 160°F (71°C) is a good move.
- Taste Before Serving: Make sure you taste your gravy and adjust until the spices and flavors are exactly how you like them. That’s how all the home cooks in the South do it!
How to Store and Reheat Smothered Pork Chops in Gravy
First let your leftovers cool to room temp then add them to an airtight container. You can either reheat in the microwave or on stovetop.
If reheating from frozen, it’s best to thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.
How long will leftovers last in the fridge?
It will last for 3-4 days.
Can I freeze smothered pork chops?
Yep for sure boos. Use a freezer-safe airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag and don’t forget to label with the date. They should be all good for about 2-3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use bone-in or boneless pork chops for these smothered pork chops?
Honestly do you boos! I prefer bone-in because of the additional flavor and juiciness but boneless is much easier to eat so you can select your preference.
Do I need to bread the pork chops to make Southern smothered pork chops
As Southerners, that’s how we usually do because the extra flour makes a thickener gravy. However you can just season up your chops instead, sear them in the oil and continue on with the recipe as written.
How thick should my smothered pork chop gravy be?
We want it nice and thick boos. If it’s too watery, the flavor hasn’t developed and it won’t stick to those chops either. Continue to cook until it’s thick but still pourable.
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Made these last night for me and my dad. Delicious!!!!!!!!
So glad you enjoyed this.
hEY, BOO! I’M A COOK. I MEAN, I KNOW HOW SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS GET MADE. HOWEVER, I DO LIKE TO LOOK AT A RECIPE FIRST – ESPECIALLY IF IT’S BEEN A MINUTE SINCE I SMOTHERED SOMETHING. I KNEW EXACTLY WHO TO TURN TO! so easy, so quick, perfectly scaled ingredients… no guesswork at all. complete trust in your process. no thinking required! : )
MY FAMILY LOVES EVERY SINGLE RECIPE OF YOURS that We’ve Made, and THESE WERE Definitely added to the repeat sooner than later list. I added mushrooms and threw in all the fresh herbs from my backyard–parsley, thyme & rosemary… i may have even thrown in some basil? Oh, and yOUR SOUTHERN SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE WAS JUST THE TICKET TO HAVE LATER IN THE EVENING… AND FOR BREAKFAST… AND FOR A SNACK… AND FOR ANOTHER BREAKFAST. WHEW!
I think we’re going to have shrimp etouffee pot pie later this week since the heatwave hasn’t returned!
Good grief, the way that post is typed makes me look like a nut. I swear i’m not 100 yrs old using technology for the first time. XD
I use this recipe at least once a month on request of my family. It’s so good!
Yay! So happy to hear that! Thank you for making it for them!
These were so good! In fact, everything I make of yours is delicious! Thank u for sharing!
You’re too sweet!! Thank you for making my recipes!
I totally agrer!!! her recipes arejust the best!
Are you a mean gurl? Did I miss the specs on measurements for each ingredient? Are your recipes for the advanced cook? (I’m advanced) but leaving peoples to just make a roux based on what I’ve read, is going to leave kitchens full of errors. If you put an asterik on *add water to gravy(and a question mark)? Then I will control/alt/delete my post.
Hi Juss, the ingredients with the measurements and full recipe are right above the comments in the recipe card. Hope you enjoy!
This is my new favorite pork chop recipe! I made them for dinner last night and they were perfectly juicy and delicious!