I am trying to pretend that it is fall here in San Antonio! Sure doesn’t feel like it, but I heard a rumor that it might be coming soon :).
With fall approaching, we start to crave more comfort foods and home cooking. I’m not sure there is anything more comforting in cooler weather than some good ol’ southern cooking. The trick is trying to create southern comfort food lower on the carb scale.
While at Costco last week, I noticed that they had some huge, delicious, bone-in pork chops on sale. I bought them, put them in the fridge, and then began to wonder what on earth I was going to do with all these beauties.
Driving around, looking at all the fall wreathes on doors and pumpkins on stoops really made me want to try something southern good!
I searched, tweaked, and nailed it – gravy and all!
I just had to share so you can plan for this cooler weather we are rumored to have soon.
Best of all, I cooked this entire meal on my kids crazy sports day because it can all be prepared ahead!
Slow-Cooker Pork Chops with Herbed Gravy
3-4 pounds bone-in pork chops (6 chops)
1/2 cup butter
1 white onion
6-8 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup bacon drippings
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
Sauce:
1 1/2 cup cream
3 tsp xantham gum
1/2 – 3/4 cup fresh basil chopped
Instructions:
Lay out your pork chops and coat each side with salt, pepper, thyme and ground mustard. Be generous with your seasoning.
Chop onion and mince your garlic.
Saute your onion and garlic in the butter until softened.
Press softened veggies to the side and add your seasoned pork chops. Brown slightly on each side over medium heat. (2-3 minutes per side)
Pour everything from your pan into your crockpot. Then add chicken broth and bacon drippings.
Add your parsley and mushrooms last, cover, and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.
When you are almost ready to serve, remove the pork chops and cover to keep warm while you make your gravy – YUM!
These were so tender, they fell off the bone!
For the gravy:
Turn your crockpot up to high. Add your cream and basil. Stir with a whisk. Very carefully, lightly sprinkle the xantham gum over the top while whisking quickly. This has to be added very carefully with a fine sprinkle or it will clump similarly to corn starch.
Continue to whisk and you will see it thicken – be patient, it will take about 5 minutes.
We served this wonderful mushroom herbed gravy over the pork chops which we placed on a bed of garlic cauliflower mashers with a side of okra. It was a huge hit with the entire family just in time for fall!
Enjoy – and Happy Fall, Y’all!!!