Pork chops with mushroom gravy (and mashed potatoes)

We don’t eat pork chops very often, mostly because recipes I’ve tried usually end up dry and bland. But I got a great deal on pork chops (wahoo for manager markdowns) and decided to put together a recipe with ingredients we had in the house. I think I’ll be looking for more bargain pork chops so we can have it again! It makes for a great excuse to eat mashed potatoes.

I like this recipe because it’s relatively simple – just a handful of basic (frugal!) ingredients. A lot of the recipes I saw online called for a can of cream of mushroom soup, but I just couldn’t bring myself to use the canned stuff when we had a package of fresh mushrooms in the fridge, that needed to be put to good use.

INGREDIENTS

Pork chops (boneless or not) about 4 oz each

Bella mushrooms, 12 ounces
 I prefer these over white mushrooms, they are meatier and the flavor more robust.

Onion
I say one (1) whole onion, my husband says 1/2, who’s side will you pick? 

Beef stock, 2 cups
I made up some quick stock with boiling water and beef bouillon

Garlic clove, minced

Olive oil or cooking spray

Flour, 2 tablespoons

Worcestershire sauce, 1.5 tablespoons

White wine, although I bet sherry would work as well, about 1/4 cup

Salt, pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.) Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a big saute pan, get it nice and hot. Throw in pork chops and sear. Cook for about two (2) to three (3) minutes per side, until evenly cooked through.

2.) When pork chops are done, set them off to the side on a plate. You can cover with foil if you’d like, but they are going back into the mix, so they’ll heat back up again.

3.) In the pan you used for the pork chops, pour in about 1/4 cup white wine – it deglazes it and pulls all the pork chop goodness off the pan and into the beginnings of a sauce. Throw in onions an saute for a couple minutes, throw in mushrooms – saute both until softened. (White wine isn’t required in this step – you could maybe use a little broth or olive oil?).

4.) While mushrooms and onions are cooking – in another container whisk together beef broth, flour, minced garlic clove and 1 1/2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce.

5.) Once mushrooms and onions looked like they’ve cooked down enough, pour beef broth/flour/worcestershire sauce into sauce pan with mushrooms and onions. Toss in your pork chops and let it all get acquainted. You can whisk in more flour if you want a thicker sauce – but you’ll have to whisk quickly so you don’t get flour lumps (which can be tricky with mushrooms). It thickened as it cooled on the plate.

We served with mashed yukon gold potatoes (peel and quarter potatoes, boil until soft, drain, add 1/4 stick butter and one cup sour cream – then mash) and baked asparagus.

Adaptation of recipe from Green Little Bites