Our southern smothered pork chops features juicy pork chops that are pan fried until golden brown and smothered in a rich onion gravy. Thick-cut pork chops with creamy gravy is a southern classic meal, perfect for Sunday soul food dinner!
Hey there, family! If you’re craving a classic Southern comfort meal that’s both hearty and heartwarming, you’ve come to the right place.
These pan-fried pork chops are cooked southern style with a delicious gravy—a true soul food staple! Our deep fried pork chops recipe was used as the base for this dish. The gravy is similar to the one we used for this smothered chicken.
Southern smothered pork chops is the perfect comfort food for fall and winter months, and the entire family loves it. Our kids especially enjoy piling lots of gravy on top of their rice or mashed potatoes. It’s arguably the best part of this dish.
So, if you’re in the mood for some down home southern soul food, grab your cast iron pan and let’s get cooking!
For more dinner recipes, check out our Soul Food Sunday Dinner Ideas roundup.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Ingredients
- Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt: Essential for seasoning and enhancing the natural flavors. Specifically, Diamond Crystal is preferred for its lower density compared to other salts, its milder, less intense salty flavor, giving you more control over seasoning, and because it dissolves quickly in food, ensuring a more uniform seasoning throughout the dish. If unavailable, other kosher salts, or even table salt can be used, but use half the amount since they vary in saltiness and density.
- Black Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper is ideal, but pre-ground works too.
- Granulated Garlic: Provides a mild garlic flavor. Garlic powder can be used as a substitute.
- Granulated Onion: Adds a sweet, savory onion flavor. Onion powder is a common alternative.
- Seasoned Salt: A blend that often includes salt, herbs, and spices, enhancing the overall flavor profile. Lawry’s is a popular example.
- Cayenne Pepper: Adjust the amount to your preference, or omit if you prefer less spice.
- Pork Chops: Bone-in pork chops are often preferred for their extra flavor, but boneless pork chops works as well.
- All-Purpose Flour: Used for dredging pork chops, helping to create a crispy coating when fried. It also helps thicken the gravy.
- Vegetable Oil: Used for frying, ensuring a crisp exterior. Can be replaced with other neutral oils like canola or peanut oil.
Brown Gravy
- White Onion: Adds sweetness and depth to gravy as it caramelizes. Yellow onions can be used if white onions aren’t available.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, but granulated garlic or garlic powder can be a quick substitute.
- Oil: Used to sauté the onions and garlic, helping to release their flavors. We used vegetable oil, but any cooking oil will work here, even olive oil.
- Seasoned Flour: Incorporates flavor into gravy and helps it thicken. We used a mixture of flour and the seasonings used on the pork.
- Chicken Broth: Provides the base for the gravy, adding a rich, savory flavor. Beef or vegetable broth or stock can be substituted depending on your preference.
- Heavy Cream: Adds richness and a velvety texture. Half-and-half or whole milk can be used as lighter alternatives, though it may be less rich.
Special Equipment & Tools
- Cast Iron Pan: A heavy, well-seasoned cast iron skillet is ideal for frying, as it provides even heat distribution and retains heat well. A large skillet with a heavy bottom will also work.
- Tongs: Useful for turning and handling the chops during frying.
- Mixing Bowls: For preparing the seasoning mix and dredging flour.
- Shallow Dish: For dredging pork chops in the seasoned flour.
- Whisk: To blend the flour into the oil when making the roux and to mix gravy ingredients smoothly. Our favorite is a sauce whisk (also called a gravy whip or gravy whisk).
- Meat Thermometer (optional): To ensure the chops are cooked to a safe internal temperature.
- Spatula: Useful for stirring the onions and deglazing the pan.
Homemade Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
- Mix kosher salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, seasoned salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Season pork chops with 3/4 of the mix, then dredge in flour mixed with the remaining 1/4 seasoning.
- Fry the chops in oil until golden brown, then remove from oil and set aside.
- In the same pan, sauté onions and garlic, add the reserved seasoned flour, and cook briefly.
- Gradually whisk in chicken stock, then stir in heavy cream, cooking until gravy thickens.
- Serve the pork chops smothered in gravy, perfect over rice or mashed potatoes.
How to Make Brown Gravy
- Use the same pan you fried the pork chops in, drain all of the oil except 2 tablespoons.
- Sauté sliced onions until caramelized, then add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of the reserved seasoned flour, stirring constantly for about a minute.
- Slowly whisk in 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- Stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream and let gravy simmer until it thickens to your desired consistency.
- Add more stock if needed. Enjoy this rich and savory gravy over your favorite dishes!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Pork Chop Thickness: Try to use pork chops of even thickness for uniform cooking. If they’re uneven, you can pound them gently with a meat mallet to even them out.
- Pork Chop Thickness: Try to use pork chops of even thickness for uniform cooking. If they’re uneven, you can pound them gently with a meat mallet to even them out.
- Gravy Consistency: If your gravy is too thick, just whisk in a bit more chicken stock or water. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a bit longer to thicken up.
- Pan Scraping: When making the gravy, make sure to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. These bits add incredible flavor.
What to Serve With
- White Rice: Perfect for soaking up the rich gravy.
- Mashed Potatoes: Another classic choice for pairing with gravy.
- Green Beans: Our version is cooked with potatoes, onions, and smoked turkey for added flavor.
- Collard Greens: We have two recipes: collard greens with ham hocks and collard greens with smoked turkey.
- Cornbread: A sweet and savory complement to smothered pork chops.
- Macaroni and Cheese: From our Southern Mac and Cheese to our Gouda Mac and Cheese, it’s a creamy, cheesy side that pairs well with pork chops.
- Candied Yams: Soul food style, yams with a rich candied mixture of sugar, butter, and spices
How to Store Leftovers
- Cool Completely: Allow pork chops and gravy to cool to room temperature before storing.
- Use Airtight Container: Place pork chops and gravy in separate airtight containers to maintain texture and prevent the meat from becoming soggy.
- Refrigerate: Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat Safely: Reheat thoroughly on the stove or in the oven, ensuring the pork reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Smothered Recipes
- Hamburger Steaks with Onion Gravy
- Southern Smothered Chicken and Gravy with Rice
- Southern Oxtail Recipe
- Crawfish Étouffée
Summary
Ready to bring some soul food to your dinner table? Give these southern smothered pork chops a try, and we promise you won’t be disappointed. Don’t forget to share with us—we can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
Southern Smothered Pork Chops Recipe
Our soul food southern smothered pork chops features juicy pork chops pan fried until golden brown and smothered in a brown onion gravy.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon granulated garlic
- ½ tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 pork chops
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Gravy
- 1 medium white onion sliced into half moons
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil reserved
- 2 tablespoons seasoned flour reserved
- 2 cups chicken stock divided
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare the Seasoning Mix: In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, seasoned salt, and cayenne pepper. Mix well. Set aside 1/4 of the seasoning mixture, to be added to the flour later.
- Season Pork Chops: Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 of the seasoning mix evenly over both sides, pressing it in gently.
- Dredge: In a shallow dish, add the all-purpose flour. Use 1/4 of the seasoning mix to season the flour. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour, to be used later for the gravy. Dredge each pork chop in the remaining seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
- Fry: In a large cast iron skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once hot (around 350°F (175°C)), add chops in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through (an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C)). Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Prepare Gravy: Drain all of the oil except for 2 tablespoons. Add sliced onions to the pan, and sauté in the remaining oil over medium heat until softened and caramelized, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Make the Roux: Sprinkle the reserved seasoned flour (2 tablespoons) into the skillet with the onions and garlic, stirring constantly for about 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add Broth: Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock, making sure to deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
- Add Heavy Cream: Stir in the heavy cream and continue to cook until gravy thickens, adding more chicken stock if needed to reach the desired consistency.
- Serve: Return chops to the skillet, spooning gravy over them. Let them warm through for a few minutes. Serve with gravy, accompanied by your favorite side dishes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
These pork chops came out great! So easy to follow your recipe and I would put that gravy on anything. Thank you!