Fork Tender
You will probably want to leave your knife in the drawer when it’s time to to eat these braised pork chops. You actually won’t need it because you can cut them with a fork. Lean pork doesn’t really have a lot of fat to render during the cook so a little help can go a long way. Braising gives you that tenderizing low and slow cook. Unlike stewing where you’re submerging the meat, with braising you want a minimal amount of liquid so the meat will not dry out. Simple, delicious and juicy. Like I mentioned earlier, these braised pork chops are fork tender.
Economical
The best part is, you can usually get loin or boneless chops on sale, making this dish not only delicious but very economical. Even tenderloin is a good fit. Just clean off any fat or silver-skin and cut into medallions. I think the last time we bought loin chops, they were a whopping $3.69 for three and not only that, they were about an inch thick.
Simple
It couldn’t be any easier. All you really need is a covered baking dish, some chops and the time for the braise. After searing the chops lay them on a bed of onions and drizzle with chicken broth. You don’t want to float the pork chops, just cover the bottom of the dish a third of the thickness of the chops. Be sure to check them and baste throughout the cook being sure the pan doesn’t dry out. In 1½ – 2 hrs they’ll be done. Serve with potatoes, rice, broad pasta. The choices are endless.
Braised Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1 tsp canola oil
- 1 medium cooking onion chopped
- pinch salt & pepper
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 4 pork loin chops trimmed of fat
- ¾ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, heat the canola oil and saute the chopped onions until softened. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Transfer the onions to an oven proof casserole dish and spread evenly.
- Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. In the same pan, sear them for 1-2 minutes per side, adding more oil if nec. Sear the sides as well.
- Place the seared chops in the casserole dish on top of the onions. Take some of the onions and spread over the top of the chops. Drizzle the mixture with chicken broth.
- Bake covered in a preheated oven at 350℉ for 1½-2 hrs. Baste once or twice throughout the cooking process with juices and onions from the pan. Be sure the pan doesn't dry out while cooking, simply add more chicken broth if required.
Notes
More beef and pork recipes
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