Baked Porkchops with Mushroom gravy
I cooked this one tonight for the first time in ages. Turned out *very* well, I might add. It should be noted here that I don't even *like* mushrooms, but *I* *love* this. If you *are* a big mushroom fan, you could probably add some very easily and up the mushroom quotient of the dish.
They can be served with rice or mashed potatoes and then just add the green vegetable of your choice.
Ingredients:
4 thick Pork chops (I prefer boneless, but bone-in works just fine)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
olive oil
flour (as much as you need - I know, how helpful)
1/2ish onion, chopped
garlic, chopped, minced, whatever (no such thing as too much garlic)
thyme
dry mustard
cayenne (black pepper works, if you prefer)
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Get out a Pyrex dish (with lid) sufficient to hold the chops and gravy. Pre-heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet. On a dinner plate, mix a generous amount of flour along with the thyme, dry mustard, pepper and whatever other seasonings strike your fancy. Once the flour is ready, pour enough olive oil into the hot skillet to more than coat the bottom. Toss in the onion and garlic and cook until they're translucent. Remove them to a bowl or plate.
Add a little more oil to the skillet. You want a little more than you'd usually consider the minimum for keeping things from sticking. While the oil heats, dredge your pork chops through the flour, making sure the entire surface is well-coated (I pat the flour mix into the chop). Once you've got one coated, lay it in the oil. Repeat with the other three. Go ahead and turn them over slowly. (You're trying to sear them, not cook them.) Once you've seared both sides, move the chops to the Pyrex, layering them as necessary.
Dump the excess flour into the skillet and mix with the oil to make a roux. Add more flour or oil as necessary. Once you've got a decent roux, start adding hot tap water slowly as you wisk it into the roux. (Note: this is going to be baked so you don't have to be too paranoid about lumps.) One you've got the water well incorporated into the roux, add the onions and garlic back in, adding more water, as needed (btw, wine would be lovely here, I just don't have any at the moment). While this is simmering, open the mushroom soup and add it to the gravy. Stir to incorporate it and add whatever additional seasonings you feel it needs (I never use salt in this - there's plenty in the soup and even if there's not, it still doesn't need it). The gravy should be very thick. (Note: if it's not, it really isn't that big a deal - again - baked - covers a multitude of cooking sins. ;-)
Pour gravy over the chops, well filling the Pyrex. Shift the chops around some to make sure there isn't any trapped air. Place the lid on and put it in the oven for an hour to an hour and a half.
Serve with rice or potatoes. The chops should be so tender they can be eaten with a fork.
They can be served with rice or mashed potatoes and then just add the green vegetable of your choice.
Ingredients:
4 thick Pork chops (I prefer boneless, but bone-in works just fine)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
olive oil
flour (as much as you need - I know, how helpful)
1/2ish onion, chopped
garlic, chopped, minced, whatever (no such thing as too much garlic)
thyme
dry mustard
cayenne (black pepper works, if you prefer)
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Get out a Pyrex dish (with lid) sufficient to hold the chops and gravy. Pre-heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet. On a dinner plate, mix a generous amount of flour along with the thyme, dry mustard, pepper and whatever other seasonings strike your fancy. Once the flour is ready, pour enough olive oil into the hot skillet to more than coat the bottom. Toss in the onion and garlic and cook until they're translucent. Remove them to a bowl or plate.
Add a little more oil to the skillet. You want a little more than you'd usually consider the minimum for keeping things from sticking. While the oil heats, dredge your pork chops through the flour, making sure the entire surface is well-coated (I pat the flour mix into the chop). Once you've got one coated, lay it in the oil. Repeat with the other three. Go ahead and turn them over slowly. (You're trying to sear them, not cook them.) Once you've seared both sides, move the chops to the Pyrex, layering them as necessary.
Dump the excess flour into the skillet and mix with the oil to make a roux. Add more flour or oil as necessary. Once you've got a decent roux, start adding hot tap water slowly as you wisk it into the roux. (Note: this is going to be baked so you don't have to be too paranoid about lumps.) One you've got the water well incorporated into the roux, add the onions and garlic back in, adding more water, as needed (btw, wine would be lovely here, I just don't have any at the moment). While this is simmering, open the mushroom soup and add it to the gravy. Stir to incorporate it and add whatever additional seasonings you feel it needs (I never use salt in this - there's plenty in the soup and even if there's not, it still doesn't need it). The gravy should be very thick. (Note: if it's not, it really isn't that big a deal - again - baked - covers a multitude of cooking sins. ;-)
Pour gravy over the chops, well filling the Pyrex. Shift the chops around some to make sure there isn't any trapped air. Place the lid on and put it in the oven for an hour to an hour and a half.
Serve with rice or potatoes. The chops should be so tender they can be eaten with a fork.