Smothered Pork Chops
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Season and Dredge 🌾🎨
- Pat your pork chops completely dry with paper towels.
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the ½ cup of flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, seasoned salt, and black pepper.
- Dredge each pork chop thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Do not throw away the leftover flour! Save it to thicken your gravy later.
Step 2: Sear to Golden Perfection 🥩🔥
- Heat the 2 tbsp of vegetable oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a large, heavy skillet (cast iron works beautifully here) over medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot, add the pork chops. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes per side until they develop a gorgeous, deeply caramelized golden-brown crust.
- Remove the chops from the skillet and set them aside on a clean plate. (Note: They don’t need to be completely cooked through yet; they will finish simmering in the gravy!)
Step 3: Caramelize the Onions 🧅✨
- Toss your sliced yellow onions right into the same hot skillet with the remaining pan drippings.
- Turn the heat down to medium and sauté the onions for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently. You want them to soften up, turn beautifully translucent, and pick up all those delicious browned bits left behind by the pork chops.
Step 4: Build the Smothered Gravy 🥣🥄
- Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of your reserved seasoned flour directly over the onions. Stir well to coat the onions and let the flour cook for about 1 to 2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in the 2 cups of warm beef broth while whisking continuously to prevent any lumps from forming. Add the splash of Worcestershire sauce.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. As it bubbles, the gravy will magically thicken into a rich, savory, velvety brown sauce. (If using heavy cream for extra richness, stir it in now!)
