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There's a first time for everything, and this Southern dish is very new to a California Native.
It's not often that I make gravies-- except for one of my husband's favorite recipes, "Chicken Fried Steak", or Rib-Eye Steak with Onion Blue Cheese Sauce. Most times, I make quick pan sauces, with some kind of booze and either chicken or beef stock. Good times.
Every so often, I get a "hankering" for a pork chop, bone-in. $6.00 a chop might seem pricey to most people, and I understand that (and I'm thankful that Craig and I both have jobs to indulge a bit). We enjoy eating meats once or twice a week, but I've made a decision that I'm going to buy the best quality that I can. I don't want hormone-laden meat, that's been…
View Full Recipe at A Feast for the Eyes Food…
.%20%20We%20enjoy%20eating%20meats%20once%20or%20twice%20a%20week,%20but%20I've%20made%20a%20decision%20that%20I'm%20going%20to%20buy%20the%20best%20quality%20that%20I%20can.%20%20I%20don't%20want%20hormone-laden%20meat,%20that's%20been%20subjected%20to%20all%20kinds%20of%20shots%20and%20cheap%20feed.%20%20If%20it%20means%20that%20I%20shop%20for%20meat%20less%20often--%20so%20be%20it!%20%20I%20am%20thankful%20to%20have%20a%20Whole%20Foods%20in%20my%20own%20backyard,%20so%20I%20stop%20here%20once%20a%20week,%20and%20buy%20whatever%20seafood,%20fish,%20poultry%20or%20red%20meat%20looks%20good.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENice%20chops!%20%20%20I%20bought%20them,%20without%20any%20idea%20what%20I%20would%20make%20with%20them.%20(The%20reason%20I%20prefer%20bone-in,%20(just%20like%20I%20do%20with%20poultry)%20is%20that%20the%20meat%20cooks%20up%20moister.%20%20I%20read,%20somewhere,%20that%20the%20bone%20helps%20to%20distribute%20the%20heat%20more%20evenly.%20Sounds%20logical%20to%20me.)%20Somewhere,%20in%20that%20recipe%20data%20base%20in%20my%20head,%20I%20remembered%20seeing%20a%20recipe%20for%20Smothered%20Pork%20Chops%20from%20Food%20Network%20Magazine.%20%20I%20had%20all%20the%20ingredients%20I%20needed%20on%20hand,%20so%20on%20a%20week%20night,%20I%20got%20busy%20in%20the%20kitchen:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI've%20been%20making%20my%20own%20spice%20mixes%20for%20a%20while,%20now.%20%20I%20save%20empty%20spice%20jars,%20mix%20up%20a%20batch%20of%20Italian,%20Mexican%20and%20Cajun%20seasoning%20and%20it%20saves%20money.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20patted%20the%20chops%20dry,%20then%20seasoned%20them%20with%20salt%20and%20Cajun%20seasoning,%20then%20dredged%20them%20in%20flour%20and%20tapped%20off%20the%20excess.%20%20I%20reserved%20the%20rest%20of%20the%20flour%20for%20making%20gravy.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMy%20most%20preferred%20way%20to%20prepare%20meat%20and%20poultry%20is%20to%20sear%20it%20on%20one%20side,%20for%20a%20few%20minutes,%20then%20pop%20the%20entire%20skillet%20into%20a%20425F%20oven.%20%20I%20then%20roasted%20the%20chops%20for%20about%2015%20minutes,%20or%20until%20an%20instant%20read%20thermometer%20read%20145F.%20%20I%20removed%20the%20chops%20to%20a%20plate,%20loosely%20covered%20them%20with%20foil%20and%20got%20busy%20with%20making%20the%20gravy.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhile%20the%20chops%20were%20pan%20roasting,%20I%20cut%20some%20garden%20fresh%20thyme%20(in%20full%20bloom)%20and%20sliced%20one%20large%20onion,%20a%20large%20clove%20of%20garlic.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETo%20the%20skillet,%20I%20melted%20one%20tablespoon%20of%20unsalted%20butter,%20the%20onion,%20some%20salt%20and%20the%20thyme%20and%20cooked%20them%20until%20almost%20golden%20brown...%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E...then%20I%20added%20the%20garlic%20(I%20watch%20the%20garlic%20closely,%20so%20I%20don't%20burn%20it).%20%20Once%20the%20onions%20were%20cooked%20to%20golden%20brown%20(about%208-10%20minutes),%20I%20added%20a%20couple%20tablespoons%20of%20the%20reserved%20flour%20and%20cooked%20it%20for%20about%20one%20minute.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAbout%201-1/2%20cups%20chicken%20broth%20is%20added,%20and%20about%20a%20generous%20tablespoon%20of%20Dijon%20Mustard%20(for%20extra%20flavor)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENow,%20for%20the%20buttermilk--%20about%202/3%20cup.%20%20Bubble,%20bubble...bring%20to%20a%20boil%20and%20reduce%20by%20about%20one-third.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThis%20is,%20%20for%20sure,%20a%20man-pleasing%20meal.%20%20It's%20a%20wife-pleasing%20meal,%20in%20that%20it%20was%20pretty%20effortless%20to%20make.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMashed%20potatoes%20would%20be%20a%20perfect%20side%20dish...%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThis%20time,%20I%20baked%20a%20couple%20of%20Yams,%20with%20a%20pat%20of%20butter%20and%20a%20drizzle%20of%20pure%20maple%20syrup.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETASTING%20NOTES:%20%20%20How%20can%20anyone%20fault%20an%20onion%20gravy?%20Creamy,%20with%20a%20nice%20tang%20from%20the%20buttermilk.%20%20I'm%20glad%20that%20I%20added%20a%20little%20Dijon%20to%20the%20recipe,%20for%20a%20little%20extra%20depth%20of%20flavor.%20%20The%20thyme%20was%20perfect.%20%20The%20pork%20was%20juicy,%20and%20we%20had%20leftover%20gravy%20since%20I%20only%20cooked%20two%20chops,%20instead%20of%20four.%20%20Yes,%20I'd%20make%20this%20again--%20and%20it's%20easy%20enough%20to%20make%20after%20a%20long%20day%20at%20the%20office.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}