My Mississippi big mama’s Smothered Pork Chops start with crispy and well seasoned fried pork chops that simmer in a crazy delish brown gravy until thickened. Each bite is full on flavor y’all. Because true Southern folks don’t measure a thing, I extensively tested this recipe so you could make them perfectly in your kitchen.
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How to Make Smothered Pork Chops
Season, Dredge and Fry
Step 1: Season up those chops with salt and pepper. Dredge the chops in flour, brown on both sides, then set aside.
Step 2: 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.
Build Flavor and Start the Roux
Step 3: Add in the onions and sauté for a few minutes until softened and color has developed. Toss in that garlic and let it go for about 30 seconds.
Step 4: 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.
Make the Gravy
Step 5: Stir in the chicken stock and water to get the gravy liquid going.
Step 6: Bring to a boil then add in the Worcestershire sauce, Creole seasoning, and hot sauce.
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Step 7: Reduce the heat, return the pork chops to the skillet.
Step 8: Cover and simmer until tender. Once they are sauced up, they will be good to go.
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
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- Refrigerate Promptly: Place the airtight container in the refrigerator. Smothered pork chops will last for 3-4 days when stored properly in the fridge.
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- 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.
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- 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.
- Vegetable Oil: You can use this or any neutral oil like canola. I don’t recommend olive oil. Too strong in flavor.
- Pork Chops: I love using bone-in because they are more flavorful and juicy boos. You can also grab boneless pork loin chops or even pork shoulder steaks. Grab center-cut for even more flavor.
- Seasoned Salt & Black Pepper: Season to taste and don’t be shy.
- All-Purpose Flour: You can swap the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 ratio gluten-free flour for the breading and the roux if you want.
- Onion: Grab yellow or sweet onions.
- Minced Garlic: You can also grate your onion or even use garlic powder if you don’t wanna do all that work.
- Chicken Stock: Broth is fine to use if you don’t have stock. You can also grab beef or vegetable as well.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This is my secret ingredient y’all. Soy sauce also works in a pinch.
- Creole Seasoning: Cajun seasoning works or you can keep it to seasoned salt and black pepper.
- Hot Sauce: You can leave this out if you don’t want the extra spice.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Overcrowd: Fry in batches instead or use a larger pan so the chops 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!
Serving Suggestions
- Rice: Old school is served right 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 Meal: Serve them up with some baked mac and cheese, collard greens, candied yams, cornbread, and sweet potato pie y’all.
- Classic Comfort: Serve these up with green bean casserole, mashed sweet potatoes, glazed carrots and angel biscuits with a dessert of caramel cake.
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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.