I have a twitch in my left eye. It's been there for a while now. It showed up right around the time that I removed my fifth batch of baking from the oven. About when I'd wrapped the second round of presents. Close to the time when Dudette asked for the twentieth time if she'd still get presents now that she doesn't believe in Santa.
Eye twitches can only be cured with one thing. Comfort food. It's a known fact. There's probably something written up about it in the latest medical journal.
This twitch has been around long enough that it needed some serious dosing. I couldn't imagine anything more serious than a dish that has the word 'smothered' first in the title. Can anything that's smothered be something less than comfort?
I didn't think so either.
The Process
Setting the chops on their proper course always comes first. Get your skillet on the stove to heat while you're sprinkling the chops with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Dredge the pork in flour, then brown them in the skillet (you'll be adding oil before the chops) until nice and brown. Move them off to a plate.
Add butter, onion, thyme and salt to the nice, hot skillet. Cook the onions until they're nicely browned, then add flour, making sure to stir it in and coat all the onions with it. Pour in chicken broth and let it simmer and bubble until it reduces a bit.
When ready, add buttermilk to the mixture and then return the pork chops to the skillet. Continue cooking until the sauce is thickened and the chops are done.
The Verdict
Smothered chops on a twitch beat steak on a black eye hands down. These were as rich and flavorful as you'd expect from the picture. Way yummy, in fact. Dudette wasn't home from school to weigh in, but that was done on purpose since my Cajun seasoning is more than a bit on the spicy side and I didn't want to have to curtail the amount I used. Hubby downed the last chop as quickly as he inhaled the first, sharing a bite or two from it with me. I was brandishing a knife so it's not like he had a choice. That's not true. He did ask if I wanted to split it and I said no.
What I'd Do Different Next Time
I keep coming back to Dijon when sauces like this are created. The buttermilk does add a bit of tang, but not enough.I'd throw in a tablespoon of Dijon as well. Or, maybe prepared horseradish. Something to cut the creaminess a little.
Smothered Pork Chops - print this recipe
from Food Network Magazine, December 2011
4 bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup buttermilk
Sprinkle the pork chops all over with salt and the Cajun seasoning. Pour the flour into a shallow bowl. Dredge the chops in the flour, turning to coat, and tap off any excess. Reserve the remaining flour.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops; cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add the butter, onion, thyme and a pinch of salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved flour to the skillet and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by one-third, about 2 minutes.
Add the buttermilk and return the chops to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the sauce is thickened and the chops are just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
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