Delicious, tender bone-in pork chops cooked until golden, then served smothered in an onion gravy. Perfect gravy to spoon over mashed potatoes. Classic comfort food!
Smothered pork chops are classic comfort food, but they are also an easy dinner. Just add mashed potatoes and a vegetable!
The pork chops start with a spice rub. A quick browning in a skillet on the stovetop, then they are popped into the oven to finish cooking. Once out of the oven, the pork chops are set aside, and the same skillet is used to make the sauce. Return the pork chops to the skillet to rewarm and serve.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Pork chops – I’d always recommend bone-in pork chops myself, and the thicker, the better! Either pork loin chops or centre-cut pork chops will work well. I prefer the leaner centre-cut bone-in pork chops.
Boneless loin chops would also work, though the oven time will be less, so watch closely to avoid overcooking and dry pork chops.
Heavy whipping cream – Heavy cream is recommended for the nicest and thickest sauce. You can use a lighter cream, such as 10% half-and-half. I would add a teaspoon of cornstarch to the lighter cream before adding it to the sauce. For a dairy-free sauce, I would simply omit the cream and enjoy the brown gravy as is.
How to make smothered pork chops: step-by-step
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Add the spice rub ingredients to a small bowl and stir together.
Step 2: Rub the spices onto the pork chops.
Step 3: Brown the pork chops on the stovetop, then pop them into the oven briefly to finish cooking. Remove to a plate.
Step 4: Add the onions to the skillet.
Step 5: Add the sliced garlic to the skillet.
Step 6: Add a pat of butter to the skillet.
Step 7: Add the flour to the skillet and cook together with the onions.
Step 8: Add the chicken broth, Worcestershire and mustard to the skillet and cook until reduced slightly.
Step 9: Finish the sauce with some heavy cream, then return the pork chops to the sauce to rewarm.
How to make smothered pork chops: video
Recipe tip!
If you’re starting with thin bone-in pork chops, you may be able to skip the oven part and simply cook the pork chops completely in the skillet on the stovetop. The oven time is recommended for thicker pork chops, as it is difficult to cook them thoroughly on the stovetop.
What to serve with smothered pork chops
It’s hard to beat creamy mashed potatoes with these smothered pork chops, as the gravy is delicious and plentiful. That said, white rice or cauliflower rice would be another great option. Add a green vegetable such as broccoli, broccolini or green beans to complete the meal.
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Get the Recipe: Smothered Pork Chops
Ingredients
Rub:
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or regular paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the pork chops:
- olive oil, for frying pork chops
- 2-3 bone-in pork chops, *see Note 1 below
For the onion gravy:
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 35% b.f., adjust to taste *see Note 2
- fresh thyme leaves, or dried thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (regular bake setting – adjust as needed for convection or fan-assisted).
- Combine 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika), 1 teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon onion powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl and stir together. Rub onto both sides of the 2-3 bone-in pork chops (*see Note 1 below).
- Heat the olive oil (for frying pork chops) in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook until golden underneath, about 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook the other side until golden, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the skillet with the pork chops to the preheated oven and cook the pork chops until cooked to 145F internal temperature, about 8-12 minutes depending on the thickness of your pork chops.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the pork chops to a plate. Loosely tent the pork with aluminum foil.
- Remove all but 2 Tablespoons of drippings from the pan. (If you don't have 2 Tablespoons of drippings in the pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 Tablespoon of oil to the pan instead). Set the pan on the stovetop over medium to medium-high heat and add the 1 small onion (thinly sliced). Cook the onion, stirring regularly, until browned, then add the 3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced). Cook, stirring, for 30-45 seconds. Add the 1 Tablespoon butter and stir to melt, then sprinkle in the 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Cook the flour, stirring, for about 1 minute.
- Add 1 1/2 cups beef broth, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard to the skillet and stir in. Allow the mixture to simmer to thicken and reduce, about 1-2 minutes.
- Lower the heat under the skillet slightly and add 1/4-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (35% b.f., adjust to taste *see Note 2) and fresh thyme leaves (or dried thyme leaves). (Avoid boiling the sauce after adding the cream.)
- Return the pork chops to the pan briefly to rewarm. Taste the sauce and add additional salt and pepper, as needed. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Watch how to make it
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Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress-free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
