Listen, don’t let these other recipes online play in your face. My mama’s Smothered Pork Chops recipe is the undisputed champ of them all! Her Mississippi roots run deep in her version that starts with lightly breaded pork chops that simmer in a savory roux based brown gravy with well seasoned flavor in each and every bite. You won’t turn back after you try her Southern smothered pork chops cooked the right way. This is Soul Food done right! I said what I said!
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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.”
One of my fave dishes growing up was my mama’s smothered pork chop recipe. Ain’t nothing like it y’all. She would serve it for Sunday Supper after church letting those breaded chops bubble away in that crazy delish onion gravy. I would add them to white rice and let that gravy soak into every grain. Now I’m giving you a chance to get at the best one you will find on the internet, in a restaurant or basically anywhere. Let’s get into it!
What are Smothered Pork Chops?
Smothered pork chops are about as classic Southern comfort as possible. Pork chops are either pan-fried Southern-style or seared before being cooked slowly in a thick flavorful brown gravy that coats the pork chops and makes them beyond tender.
The Lowdown on the Best Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern Comfort
Primary Cooking Method: Pan-Fried and Simmered
Dietary Info: Meat Lovers stay winning with this recipe (Sorry this ain’t for my Vegetarian boos but it can be made Gluten-Free with a few substitutions)
Key Flavor: Rich, Savory, and Melt-In-Your-Mouth Tender with Ample Flavor and a Hint of Spice
Skill Level: Intermediate
- Flavor Building: Starting with a good ole seasoned flour coating before we pan-fry sets the stage for layers of flavor building.
- One-Pot: We fry up those chops and create the gravy all in the same pan, saving you from bussing so many suds.
- Budget-Friendly: We stay keeping the cost down by using simple ingredients that pop the flavors without spending too much loot.
- Gravy Goodness: Our pork chops and gravy recipe starts with a classic roux that picks up all the delish browned bits, creating a toffee-colored gravy that’s silky and so bomb.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Southern Smothered Pork Chops
- Vegetable Oil: This neutral oil is gonna give that pan-fry a nice golden brown finish
- Pork Chops: Grab you some bone-in for additional flavor and juiciness boos
- Seasoned Salt & Black Pepper: Season to taste and don’t be shy. Do you boos!
- All-Purpose Flour: We use this for our seasoned coating and to create our roux base to thicken up the gravy to the perfect consistency.
- Onion: They give us texture, depth of flavor and a bit of sweetness y’all.
- 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 saucy gravy.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This is my secret ingredient y’all. It gives savory pizazz to anything and everything you add it to.
- Creole Seasoning: When you wanna make the best smothered pork chops, you gotta season em up right! The blend of spices adds such a unique Southern kick of flavor.
- Hot Sauce: While this is optional, I love to add just a dash to get a tiny hint of fiery taste in the mix.
How to Make Smothered Pork Chops
Step 1: Season, Dredge, and Pan-Fry Those Chops
- Season up those chops with salt and pepper.
- Next, dredge the chops in flour, brown on both sides, then set aside.
- 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. 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.
Step 2: Build That Flavor and Get The Roux Started
- Add in the onions and sauté until they are browned.
- Toss in that garlic and let it go for about 30 seconds.
- Now let’s get going on 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.
Step 3: Gravy it Up!
- Now that the roux is done, stir in the chicken stock and water to get that gravy liquid going.
- Bring to a boil then add in the Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, and hot sauce. Reduce heat, return the pork chops to the skillet then cover and simmer until tender and sauced up.
How to Serve Pork Chops and Gravy
- Rice: The real Southern way to serve smothered pork chops with brown gravy is on a bed of fluffy white rice. It’s always the solid move boos.
- Mashed Potatoes: Those pork chops and gravy can get perfectly sopped up with garlic mashed potatoes, sour cream mashed potatoes, or cream cheese mashed potatoes.
- Full Southern Feast: Serve them up with some baked mac and cheese, collard greens, candied yams, cornbread, and soul food sweet potato pie recipe y’all.
- Sandwiches: Y’all can turn this into the best sandwich you’ve ever had by adding a smothered chop in between slices of garlic bread or no-knead bread. Slice off the bone for easier eating.
- Pork it up!: While you are making these, you might as well serve up a feast of pork chops with this pork chop casserole, fried pork chops and maple peach pork chops.
- Classic Comfort: Serve these up with green bean casserole, mashed sweet potatoes, glazed carrots and angel biscuits with a dessert of caramel cake.
Made this for dinner today, followed recipe exactly, this was delicious. Pork chops were tender and the gravy was amazing. Thank you for a great recipe that will be in our rotation.– Terri Blackburn
Recipe Substitutions
- Pork Chops: We use bone-in here but you can grab boneless pork loin chops or even pork shoulder steaks.
- Oil: Canola or another neutral oil works best in this recipe.
- Stock: Broth is fine to use if you don’t have stock. You can also grab beef or vegetable flavored instead as well.
- Onions: Shallots work great here boos. They will be a bit milder in flavor however.
- Worcestershire: Soy sauce or Tamari are great subs in you are missing this.
- Seasonings: You can omit the creole seasoning and use a combo of cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika to make your own blend or create a homemade cajun seasoning to sub in.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Gluten-Free: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 ratio gluten-free flour for the breading and for the roux.
- Add Mushrooms: Mushrooms add additional texture and flavor. Mix in some chopped mushrooms like portobello, cremini or even oyster mushrooms for more meaty flavor when you cook the onions and garlic.
- Cream Up That Gravy: Just a splash of heavy cream will create a super rich, buttery and creamy sauce here.
- Add some Herbs: Crust those chops up with a mix of herbs like rosemary, parsley and thyme for a fresh earthy twist.
- Add Fruity Acid: Replacing some of the chicken stock with apple cider and a pinch of apple cider vinegar will really liven up the flavors giving you sweetness and a bit of tartness. Toss in some apple slices when fall hits for the perfect Autumn dish.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Grab the Right Chops: We use bone-in pork chops for this recipe because they tend to be more flavorful, juicy and less dry. Try getting center-cut for even more flavor.
- Don’t Overcrowd: Make sure you don’t overcrowd your pan so all of your chops can cook evenly and not get soggy. You may have to fry in batches or use a larger pan for them all to fit.
- Searing: Make sure you pan-fry those chops getting a nice golden flavor and crust so you can seal in the juiciness.
- Simmer Until Tender: Don’t stop cooking those smothered pork chops until those chops are tender and cooked through. The sauce needs to thicken 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 meet your personal standards. That’s how all the home cooks in the South do it!
How to Store Smothered Pork Chops in Gravy
- Fridge: First let everything cool to room temp then add the smothered pork chops to an airtight container. Lay them flat then cover with the gravy so they maintain that moisture. It will last for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: 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 be all good for about 2-3 months.
- Reheating: You can reheat the smothered pork chops in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the oven. If reheating from frozen, it’s best to thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Honestly do you boos! Whichever floats your boat is fine. I prefer bone-in because of the additional flavor and juiciness but boneless is much easier to eat so you can select your preference.
As Southerners, that’s how we usually do it but you can season up your chops instead and just sear them in the oil and continue on with the recipe as written.
You can give it a try boos. You still gotta pan fry those chops and create your roux first then you can add it all to the oven for about 30 minutes on 350 F degrees OR until the gravy has thickened and the pork chops have tenderized.
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 its thick but still pourable.
More Smothered Recipes
- Smothered Steak
- Salisbury Steak
- Southern Smothered Chicken
- Turkey Chops
- Hamburger Steak
- Smothered Turkey Wings
- Smothered Potatoes
Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
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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
- 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.
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This recipe is fantastic! We are from Canada, and moved south this past September. I had adapted this recipe to be keto, using almond flour in place of regular flour, and xanthum gum for thickening. It tastes great, and we use the gravy over cauliflower mash.
This was crazy delicious! My husband was absolutely floored. Your recipes are always a hit though, they never go wrong here. Thank you!
Tender, moist and delicious! We made it without onions and it worked well. Thank you!
This was going to be my last time making pork chops!!! If this didn’t work out, I was through. Well I have to tell you they were absolutely delicious. I was so happy there was no brine involved due to salt content; this recipe couldn’t have been easier. And like you said, because they were smothered they stayed nice and tender. Thank you so much for this great recipe-will make them again!!!! And will check out all your other recipes because I’m sure they’re as flavorful as this one. Thanks again
I’m going to make these tonight for the first time. They look ridiculously delicious! I was wondering if anyone brined their chops first? I got inch thick bone in chops…so…..yes or no on the brine?
No real need to brine here since the smothering and cooking in the gravy keeps these super moist and tender which is basically what you want your brine to do. Also the flavor is just wonderful on its own. I suggest trying as written and then if you want something additional, you try that next time.
I followed the recipe exactly and these were hands down the best pork chops I’ve ever had. The gravy is sublime. I only made one large chop because I live alone but I made the entire gravy recipe because I’m no fool. In the extra space in the pan I put some baby potatoes to cook in the gravy. I made these yesterday and just now had the other half for dinner AGAIN tonight. I’m sad it’s gone–I would eat it a third night !
Hello!
Love your recipe! I’ve made it twice and my husband adores it! I used pork loin chops and they still came out tender. I did the oven method for the last part of recipe.
Thank you for sharing! Write a cookbook!
OMG! Jocelyn This was absoltely delicious!!!! Thank you for sharing your family recipes! I’m so glad I found you while searching the internet for a smothern pork chop recipe. I plan to try more of your food/cake recipes.
Smothered pork chops are my specialty and I was thinking of making them for Christmas since the family will be apart and I love them. after seeing this take on them l’m convinced it is a go! Something I tried a couple times was putting them in the oven for the smothering so you don’t have to monitor them.. So tender!
Made these last night with boneless pork chops – delicious and I will make again. A big hit with the family.
I made this tonight for dinner. Totally amazing n super easy in my electric fry pan. Will definitely make again.