When French Onion Soup meets Smothered Pork Chops, very good things happen…. These juicy pan seared pork chops are served with an incredible French Onion flavoured gravy made with caramelised onions, then topped with melted cheese to complete the French Onion experience.
Smothered Pork Chops – the French way! 😉
FRENCH ONION MEETS SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS
Whenever you see the word “smothered” in the context of food, you know you’re onto a good thing.
Whether it’s Chicken smothered in Mushroom Gravy, Steaks with Peppercorn Sauce, Salisbury Steak or Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy, if it’s smothered then you know you’re in for a good meal.
Right??
Today’s smother sauce of choice – French Onion Gravy. ↓↓↓
There’s a juicy pork chop under there.
Promise.
THE CARAMELISED ONION
I promised you French Onion, and French Onion you shall get.
So in true French Onion soup style, we’re starting with a base of caramelised onions. 2 big onions, sliced into rounds then leisurely sautéed in butter for 15 minutes until they transform from a giant mound of eye-stinging raw onion into THIS: sweet, golden, caramelised onion. With no help from sugar at all!
INGREDIENTS IN FRENCH ONION SMOTHERED PORK
The caramelised onion makes such a fabulous flavour base, there’s very few other flavourings required for this French Onion Smothered Pork.
Butter, garlic and onion for the Caramelised Onion. Simple seasonings for the chops – garlic powder (not critical), salt and pepper. Beef broth/stock and flour to make the French Onion Gravy.
And the finishes touches: cheese to melt on top of the pork chops, and a little sprinkle of fresh rosemary.
Skip or sub the rosemary. But if you’re after a true French Onion experience, don’t skip the cheese! (I feel like I say that a lot…..🤔)
ALL MADE IN ONE SKILLET
I like to make these French Onion Smothered Chops in one skillet. Not to save on washing up, because actually, using one skillet increases the overall cook time.
One skillet means we don’t waste any flavour. Caramelise the onions first, then remove. Use the residual fat in the skillet to sear the pork chops briefly – we want them raw on the inside to finish cooking later in the French Onion Gravy.
Take the pork chops out then return the onion into the skillet to make the gravy. This way, our gravy also benefits from all those tasty brown bits left in the pan from searing the chops (called fond, if you want the technical term!).
Then finally, we return the chops into the gravy to finish cooking. It’s a two-way flavour street here – the chops soak up those tasty gravy flavours, and the juices from the chops mingles into the gravy.
As for the finishing touch, that melted cheese…
Yes it’s optional.
But around these parts, French Onion Soup without a piece of cheesy bread is just onion soup…. 😂 ~ Nagi x
PS Yes this can be made with chicken. Or beef, for that matter. Though It’d probably skip the cheese for beef.
MORE SMOTHERED COMFORT FOODS
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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French Onion Smothered Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 – 5 pork chops , boneless (~ 150-200g/5-7oz each) (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- 2 large onions , sliced into rings (brown, yellow or white)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1.5 tbsp / 25g butter (or olive oil)
- 1 tsp oil , if needed
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup/250ml beef broth/stock , low sodium
- 2 tbsp flour
- 4 slices cheese (Note 2)
- Finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Instructions
- Caramelise Onions: Melt butter on medium (or medium low for strong stoves). Add onion and garlic, cook 15 minutes until golden brown and caramelised, stirring regularly (see video). Remove from skillet.
- Prepare Chops: Sprinkle chops with garlic, salt and pepper.
- Sear: Add oil into skillet if needed. Turn heat up to high. Sear chops 1 minute on each side until nicely browned but not cooked inside. Remove onto plate.
- Gravy: Turn heat down to medium. Return onion into skillet, scraping in juices. Add flour, mix.
- Add beef broth and mix until incorporated. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
- Simmer Chops in Sauce: When it comes to a simmer, give it a big stir then add pork chops.
- Top chops with cheese, cover with lid to melt and finish cooking the chops through – only 3 minutes for thin chops like I’m using. Internal temp of 160F/70C for no pink (or 155F/68C for blush of pink).
- Garnish: Remove lid, sprinkle with rosemary. Spoon over French Onion Gravy, then sprinkle with more rosemary.
- Serve immediately, over mashed potato or similar.
Recipe Notes:
Chicken: Add 1 minute to the simmer time in the gravy using boneless skinless thigh or breast. For breast, pound to 1.5cm / 2/3″ even thickness using fist, rolling pin or other pounding device prior to cooking.
Beef: Use steaks, personally I would probably skip the cheese. If about 2cm / 4/5″ thick, sear per recipe (make sure you get a good crust) then simmer for 2 minutes for medium rare, or longer to cook through more. Remove beef immediately then rest for a few minutes before serving. 2. Cheese – Gruyere, Swiss, gouda or masdaam are ideal as these cheese don’t run everywhere when melted. Mozzarella also fine, but has less flavour that the others. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, tasty cheese and similar will also work just find but they might “bleed” a bit into the gravy (not a bad problem to have actually). 3. INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OF COOKED PORK
* For a slight blush of pink: 155F/68C. I do this for tenderloin but not chops.
* For no pink: 160F/70C (I do this) 4. Thick Cut Pork Chops – cook longer, rest 5 minutes before serving. Increase the cook time in the gravy, adding water if required to adjust gravy thickness. Add the cheese towards end of cook time – only takes 1 minute to melt. 2.5cm/1″ bone-in chops will take about 5 minutes in the gravy, or until internal temperature is 155F/68C. Remove from sauce onto plate and cover loosely for 5 minutes. Internal temp will rise to 160F/70C. For blush of pink, take off stove when internal temperature is 150F/65C, after resting it will be 155F/68C. 5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings (so calories will be less if sauce is divided between 5, and there’s certainly enough!)
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
How is one supposed to work under these conditions??!!
Can leftovers be frozen?
Turned out great, easy to make! Prepped everything else while onions were caramelizing, including making the beef broth.**
My only suggestion is to add a quantity for chopped rosemary. I made about 1 tsp but double would have been even better in retrospect.
Thank you Nagi!
————–
**I used to buy boxed broth but it’s very hard to find NSA even in the organic section. Then I discovered GoBio organic bouillon cubes which totally changed my (cooking) life – under $4 in stores for a box of 6 = 4.5 L (18 cups) of tasty broth. Chicken & Veg available NSA, so I can add my own Pink salt. Nice savings in both cash & shelf space 🙂
Can you do this in the Crock-Pot?
Can you do this in the rock pot
Great receipt, family love it! Will definitely do it again. I had thicker chops, and used thermometer to measure the temperature, took about 10 min to cook all the way through
Extremely hearty and all the right comforts for a chilled November evening in Canada! Also the recipe came together quite quickly and the pork was very moist. Love your recipes and of course Dozer!
My partner overdosed on this and couldn´t move until the next morning 😀 I have to thank you Nagi for your videos, they are so helpful for people like me who are not the most confident in the kitchen but still want to cook nice meals and tomorrow I will be making one of your leg of lamb recepis, I´ve made a couple already but I need to try everything, will be rating that on Monday 🙂 x
Amazing!!!!! So easy and the pork was so beautifully cooked. Thanks Nagi!
Best pork chop recipe I ever made! Thank you for all your great recipes.
You’re so welcome!! N x
Great recipe one of my favorites! Can you also do this recipe in the Crock-Pot?
I have a lot of onions I need to do something with. Can I make the onion gravy and freeze it? Or any other suggestions for using up or preservng a lot of onions would be welcomed 😁
Yes 100% DeAnn!! N x
😁
I just love your recipes thank you for sharing ….♡
How would I make this in the instant pot. Can I use frozen chops?
(I’m new to this way of cooking
Hi Alisa, this one as written isn’t suitable for the IP sorry! N x
This has become one of my favorite go-to recipes. I love it and it is easy to make.
I have tried to cook this dish but the pork chop is abit hard. Is there a way to tenderise it?
Hi LK – hard as in dry? sounds like you may be overcooking it slightly – N x
Making this right now
Enjoy Qiana!! N x
Loved this, really beautiful meal.
Thanks so much Dawn! N x
My SO and I can’t get enough of this… made it 3x time in like a month. Last time was bone-in, and just as great.
I always make extra sauce, it’s just sooo good with rice. I just throw in more onion/garlic powder/beef broth powder to taste, so fool proof!!
Thanks Nagi for a keeper and the great tips (especially about deglazing to clean).
I’m so glad you love it MC, that’s great to hear! N x
I do not like rosemary. Any subs that I should use or just leave it off?
Hi Teresa, just leave it out 🙂 N x
Thyme is a good sub as well. I’ve made this with twice – equally good with both, slightly different accents, but works well if people have a strong preference one way or the other.
Cooked this on Wednesday using the typical Spanish thin-cut pork chops. Love it! Just finished the left over (just 2 chops with baked baby potato) for lunch and planning to cook more already.
Another winner.
Wahoo! that’s great to hear! N x