Smothered Pork Chops

Perfectly seared and then coated in a delicious creamy onion gravy before being braised to perfection, these tender Smothered Pork Chops are an unforgettable southern classic! It’s a simple one-pan versatile dish that takes very little effort and pairs well with potatoes, rice, or noodles!

Easy Smothered Pork Chops Recipe

Southern food is comfort food! Its roots are deep and so are the flavors. And this recipe for Smothered Pork Chops is no exception to the rule. Similar to my Smothered Chicken it’s seasoned with a flavorful spice rub, seared, and then cooked in an incredibly flavorful onion gravy in the oven to finish.

It’s a cooking technique that produces a lot of flavor and super tender meat. So it’s not a 30-minute meal, but it’s a recipe with very few steps and requires very little attention. The pork chops in gravy pretty much cook themselves once in the oven.

So while the pork is braising you can go about your day or you can prepare some yummy sides like Mashed Potatoes, Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower, or Instant Pot Rice along with a vegetable like Old Fashioned Green Beans for a complete meal. 

Pork Chops

• Seasonings – To season the chops I make my own spice rub with a mixture of salt, ground black pepper, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and mild chili powder. But feel free to play around with the spices to your preferred taste.
• Flour – I use all-purpose flour to dredge the pork and make a roux. You can also use gluten-free flour if you prefer as long as it’s a 1-to-1 variety. 
• Pork Chops – You will need bone-in pork chops that are about 1 inch in thickness. Ideally, all the chops should be about the same size for more even cooking.
• Vegetable Oil – I like to use a neutral flavored vegetable oil when searing the chops. You can use olive oil but keep in mind that it will alter the taste of the dish.

Gravy

• Butter – Used to add some richness and make a roux when combined with the all-purpose flour.
• Onion – I use brown onion, but white onion works too.
• Garlic – Always mince your own fresh garlic if you can instead of using jarred garlic to avoid the added taste of preservatives.
• Italian Seasoning – This mix of herbs is typically a blend of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. But if you don’t have any on hand, you can just use a combination of whatever is in your pantry or make your own using my recipe here. 
• Worcestershire Sauce – Adds a touch of umami flavor that blends beautifully with the pork.  
• Bouillon Cube – You can use a chicken or beef cube to season the gravy. 
• Chicken Broth –  I always use low-sodium chicken broth to control the amount of added salt. Vegetable broth is another option.
• Heavy Cream – Used to make the gravy creamy and add yet another layer of richness. Yet, for a lower fat version, half and half works as well.

Making this southern classic is easy peasy! It’s a one-pan main dish that you start on the stove by searing the chops and finish by braising in the oven which creates super tender pork coated in a delicious creamy gravy. 

Preheat The Oven

Before you even sear the pork chops you need to preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) to get it nice and hot. Putting the pork and gravy into an oven to braise that isn’t already hot can impact the final result.

Make The Rub And Season The Pork

Next, make the yummy spice rub by whisking the salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder together in a small bowl. Then pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Now, generously season them with about ¾ of the spice rub that you just made and place them on a plate. But be sure to keep the remaining spice rub set aside that you didn’t use because you’ll need it for the next step.

Dredge The Chops

Before cooking the pork you’ll need to make a dredge and then coat the chops. To do this, mix the remaining spice rub together with the flour, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl. Then take ¼ cup of the flour you just seasoned and put it in a separate small bowl. 

And now we can dredge! So take each pork chop and run it through the flour mixture making sure that they are fully coated before shaking off any excess flour. It’s important that the chops be fully coated, but not have lumps of flour. 

Sear The Pork Chops

With the chops dredged and all floured up, it’s time to get cooking. Heat the oil over medium-high in an oven-safe skillet like one made of cast iron or stainless steel. Then add the chops to the pan and cook them for about 2 minutes per side or until they are golden in color. At this point, the pork may not be fully cooked but don’t worry because the chops will finish cooking in the oven. So just transfer the fried pork chops to a plate for now. 

Saute Onion And Garlic

Then in the same skillet that you just cooked the pork, add the butter and onions to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the onions are both soft and translucent. Next, add the garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until it’s aromatic, being careful not to burn the garlic. Finally, stir in the Italian seasoning. 

Make The Roux

To start the gravy you’ll need to add some flour to make a roux. Take the reserved seasoned flour that you set aside and sprinkle it evenly over the onion mixture. Then stir the flour into the onions and let it cook for another 2 minutes as you continuously stir. This helps to remove the raw flour taste. Now, crumble the bouillon cube over the mixture, add the Worcestershire sauce, and stir to combine.

Make The Gravy

The roux is ready at this point to be turned into gravy. All you have to do is slowly pour the chicken broth into the skillet and allow it to come to a simmer while continuously whisking the mixture together. Next, whisk in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a simmer once more. Finally, taste the gravy and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Braise The Pork To Finish

To finish the dish, add the chops back into the skillet and spoon some of the gravy over the pork. Then cover the pan with an oven-safe lid or foil and transfer it to the oven to cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once an hour has passed, the baked pork chops should be done and fully cooked. 

Garnish And Serve

When the smothered pork chops are done, sprinkle them with some fresh chopped parsley to garnish. Then serve the chops with your favorite sides like yummy mashed potatoes or rice. 

Can I Use Other Cuts Of Pork?

Yes! You can use pork tenderloin medallions or even pork steaks in place of the pork chops. However, the cooking time may differ. Just keep in mind that pork needs to have reached 145°F (63°C) when checked with a digital meat thermometer to be considered fully cooked. 

What Is A Roux?

Technically, roux is just a mixture of fat and flour cooked together for a few minutes. It’s often used as a thickening agent for gravy just like in this smothered pork chops recipe as well as in dishes like Swedish Meatballs.  

Leftovers

You can store leftover smothered pork chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months! To reheat, just put them covered in the microwave for about 3 minutes on medium power, in a skillet, or in the oven at 350°F (176°C) for about 15 minutes. If frozen, I suggest letting them thaw out in the fridge overnight before reheating. 

Other Delicious Pork Chop Recipes To Try

• Mustard Balsamic Pork Chops
• Pan Seared Pork Chops with Gravy
• Pork Chops With Peppercorn Sauce
• Jägerschnitzel
• Instant Pot Pork Chops With Mushroom Gravy
• Balsamic Pork Scallopini

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5 from 18 votes

Smothered Pork Chops

Prep 15 minutes minutes

Cook 1 hour hour

Total 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

4

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Perfectly seared and then coated in a delicious creamy onion gravy before being braised to perfection, these tender Smothered Pork Chops are an unforgettable southern classic! It’s a simple one-pan versatile dish that takes very little effort and pairs well with potatoes, rice, or noodles!

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Ingredients

• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder (mild)
• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 4 pork chops (bone-in, at least 1-inch thick)
• ▢ 3 tablepoons vegetable oil

Gravy

• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1 medium onion (chopped)
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 chicken bouillon cube (or beef)
• ▢ 1½ cups chicken broth (low sodium, or vegetable broth)
• ▢ ½ cup heavy cream (or half and half)

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Instructions 

• Prep the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees.
• Make the spice rub. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder. Reserve about ¼ of the spice rub.
• Prep the pork chops. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Generously season the chops with the remaining ¾ of the seasoning rub. Place the seasoned pork chops on a plate.
• Prep the dredge. Season the flour with remaining seasoning rub, salt and pepper. Reserve ¼ cup of the seasoned flour and place in a small bowl.
• Dredge the pork chops. Dredge the chops through the flour mixture making sure they are fully coated. Shake off any excess flour.
• Pan sear the pork chops. Heat the vegetable oil in a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes per side until golden. The pork might not be fully cooked at this point. Transfer the pork chops to a plate.
• Cook the onion and garlic. In the same skillet add the butter, onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Stir in the Italian seasoning.
• Sprinkle flour. Sprinkle the reserved seasoned flour over the onions and continue cooking while stirring for another 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and crumble up the bouillon cube, then stir.
• Make the gravy. Start pouring chicken broth while continuously whisking and cook for a couple more minutes until the gravy comes to a simmer. Whisk in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
• Add pork chops and braise in the oven. Add the pork back to the skillet and spoon some of the gravy over the chops. Cover the skillet and transfer it to the oven. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
• Garnish and serve. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

Equipment

• Instant Read Meat Thermometer

Notes

1. Pat the chops dry. It’s important to pat the chops as dry as possible before adding the spice rub. Doing so creates a better sear on the chops which adds more flavor to the dish.
2. Cook the flour. When making a roux, you have to cook the fat and flour together for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
3. Continuously whisk. When adding the broth and the heavy cream to the roux you must continuously whisk to prevent lumps from forming. This is not an option if you want smooth gravy.
4. Temp your pork. To ensure the chops are fully cooked, use an instant-read digital meat thermometer to make sure the pork has reached at least 145°F (63°C). 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1servingCalories: 514kcal (26%)Carbohydrates: 32g (11%)Protein: 36g (72%)Fat: 27g (42%)Saturated Fat: 14g (88%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 139mg (46%)Sodium: 660mg (29%)Potassium: 748mg (21%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 1024IU (20%)Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 67mg (7%)Iron: 3mg (17%)

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.