Pork Chops with Mushroom Sauce

This recipe from the Cozy Cook was a good one and with the addition of the mashed potatoes it  became more of a comfort meal.  Just want to warn you though, there is a lot of prep involved.  Make sure you have everything measured out and ready to go.  Given the fact that we are empty nesters, we did cut back on the amount of pork chops.  I believe we only used three, but kept the same amount of mushrooms.   

Ingredients

Mushrooms

2 tablespoons butter

8 oz. mushrooms

Pork Chops

4 pork chops, see notes

Salt, to taste

¼ cup flour

3 Tablespoon olive oil

Gravy

2 cups chicken broth

1 beef bouillon cube or 1 tsp better than bouillon

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, can sub low sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup half and half

1 teaspoon EACH: onion powder + garlic powder

½ teaspoon EACH: dried thyme + mustard powder

¼ teaspoon dried sage

1/2 cup dry white wine, see notes

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tablespoons Butter

4 Tablespoons Flour

2-3 drops Kitchen Bouquet, optional

Instructions

Prep Work

Sprinkle each side of the pork chops with salt and let them sit out for 30 minutes or so. This will give the salt a chance to penetrate through the meat and flavor it. It will also make the pork juicier. A light sprinkling is fine as the gravy also has plenty of flavor.

Cover the pork with saran wrap and pound it with a meat tenderizer. This also helps to make it more tender.

In a large measuring cup with a spout, combine the chicken broth, beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, half and half, and seasonings for the gravy. (1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. mustard powder, 1//2 tsp. thyme, ¼ tsp. sage.) Set aside.

Cook the Mushrooms - Melt butter over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Allow them to brown on each side for 3-4 minutes, undisturbed. Sauté in batches if needed, leaving space around them will allow them to crisp up more. Add a little more butter and/or a splash of olive oil during cooking if needed. Remove once golden brown and set aside on a plate.

Sear the Pork Chops - Pat the pork chops completely dry. Dredge the Pork Chops in the flour mixture just before frying. This gives them a nice outer crust.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear 2 pork chops at a time for about 2-3 minutes per side, until nice and golden. Optional: Use kitchen tongs to hold up the pork chops and sear the fat around the outside if using bone-in. Add a splash more olive oil or decrease heat slightly as needed during searing. Set pork chops aside.

Clear any black remnants from the pan but leave as much brown “fond” as you can, as this will create a more flavorful sauce.

Make the Gravy - Add the wine and garlic to the same skillet over medium heat. Let it reduce and bubble gently until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pot with the wine as it reduces.

Add 4 tbsp. butter and let it melt. Add 4 tbsp. flour and whisk to combine with the butter. Continue to whisk for about 2 minutes, until you can no longer smell the flour.

Add the chicken broth mixture in small splashes, whisking continuously to incorporate. Don’t add it too quickly or the roux will break and the sauce won’t be as thick.

Bring to a gentle bubble, then reduce to a simmer, stirring continuously. Optional: Add 2-3 drops of Kitchen Bouquet to darken the color of the gravy.

Finish the Meal - Add the pork chops back to the skillet and spoon the sauce on top.

Cover and let the pork chops cook for 10 minutes. If possible, use kitchen tongs to flip them halfway through.

Add the mushrooms back to the skillet and cover. Turn off heat and let the pork rest in the skillet for 5 minutes. Ensure the middle is 145° prior to serving.

Serve with mashed potatoes.