Why, smother them of course, Tyler Florence style.
Last Friday I had planned to make Salmon Chowder for dinner. Then the weather decided to be nice and warm and a hearty chowder just didn’t fit the bill at all. I peeked in the fridge to see what, if anything I could pull out and defrost for dinner. Something that would make Andy smile after a week away for work. I saw the thick cut pork chops from the butcher, grabbed those, and then went in search of a recipe. I looked high and low before discovering this pretty simple and straightforward recipe from Tyler Florence. The recipes I’ve tried from him in the past have always turned out excellent for me, so I had high expectations for this rather simple Smothered Pork Chop.
It was straightforward, the only part of it that I thought unusual was that you used seasoned flour to coat the chops, and then also added some of the same flour to the fat later on to make the smothering gravy. It’s a really great idea and saves the steps of combining seasonings and thickeners later on. These pork chops also cooked up rather quickly, and before long I was dishing them up to a rather eager looking family. The results were delicious and everything that I had hoped for. The chops were nicely cooked, tender, and smothered in a rather fantastic sauce. I’d made some sweet potatoes and salad to accompany, but the sauce really was screaming for a nice mound of roasted garlic smashed potatoes to soak up all that wonderful gravy. These are some excellent and quick pork chops and will be a regular on our dinner table. My only suggestion would be to adjust the cayenne and the salt to your tastes- I thought it was just a touch salty, and I only used half the cayenne. It was enough for us, and would have been inedible for the kids with the full amount called for. That Tyler Florence is a genius.
Tyler’s Smothered Pork Chops
from Tyler Florence
1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons onion powder 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon cayenne 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, bone-in 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup buttermilk Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnishPut the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Pat the pork chops fry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour- shaking off the excess.
Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Remove the pork chops from the pan and add a little sprinkle of the seasoned flour to the pan drippings. (I added about 2 tablespoons.)
Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth. Let the liquid cook down to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir in the buttermilk to make a creamy gravy and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
My culture loves a good smothered porkchop! The only thing is that you can totally make this without seasoning the flour – but then, you’ve gotta know what you’re doing. My grandmother was a master at smothering a porkchop using a cast iron skillet! I too love a great smothered pork chop. As a matter of fact, I put a recipe up on my blog of one that I made last week with sage and apples.
-DTW
http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
I remember that one- it probably left that unconscious smothered pork chop craving in my mind. 😉
I to was looking for a easy very good recipe for butterfly chops instead,but I am going to try this one. This sounds just like grand moms. I was wondering if you can instead of butter milk,use reg.milk or cream instead.
Bambi-jo, I sent you an e-mail. 🙂 Let me know if you need any more help.
why didn’t you publish the answer to bambi- jo’s question about milk or cream? I am also interested as I am sure others may be.
Sharon, I think I sent a long-winded response about alternatives and changing the recipe.
However, the short version is that when you add milk or cream to a recipe such as this, you have to do it delicately or they will curdle, and your sauce, while still tasty and edible, will look a bit funky.
Buttermilk is technically already curdled. In the absence of buttermilk, you can make a 1/2 cup of it by adding 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1/2 cup of milk. You could also use 1/2 cup of sour cream or yogurt thinned with a splash of milk. I would avoid using plain cream or plain milk.
If, at a last resort, all you have available is a regular milk or cream, add it to the pan, let it thicken, and remove from heat immediately. Don’t even bother with the step of cooking the chops in the sauce for a few minutes. Maybe by removing it from the heat right away you can prevent the sauce from curdling.
Buttermilk really will give you the best flavor, by the way.