Seared Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy

February/March 2007

Why this recipe works:

Bread crumb-coated pork chops are a popular weeknight dish, but sometimes we prefer our chops naked and simply seared to perfection. For these nights, we developed a Seared Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy recipe, which dresses up simple pork chops with an easy mushrooms sauce—a tasty entrée that can be made in 30 minutes. Using presliced mushrooms enabled us to save time prepping our recipe’s ingredients, and patting the chops dry before adding them to the heated skillet resulted in a proper, crusty sear.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 bone-in rib or center-cut pork chops, 3/4 to 1 inch thick
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, chopped fine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Pat chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook chops until well browned and meat registers 145 degrees, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and tent with foil.
2. In now-empty skillet, cook butter, mushrooms, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, covered, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and cook until moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and stir to coat. Slowly stir in broth, thyme, and any accumulated pork juices and simmer until gravy has thickened, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in mustard and season with salt and pepper. Serve.