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Southern Smothered Pork Chops with Cornbread

Golden pork chops simmer gently in a peppery onion gravy, with warm cornbread for soaking up the skillet sauce.

Smothered pork chops in glossy onion gravy sit beside a golden wedge of cornbread.

This is a skillet supper built around contrast: a quick flour crust gives the pork a deep browned start, then a low simmer makes the chops tender in their own onion gravy. Cornbread bakes while the skillet works, so the meal reaches the table with something warm and crumbly to catch the sauce.

A light flour coat matters

Patting the chops dry before seasoning and dredging gives the flour a thin, even grip. Shake off the extra flour; the coating should brown rather than turn pasty, while the reserved portion later gives the gravy its body.

Build flavor in the skillet

Brown the pork before the onions go in and do not rush the color. The browned bits left behind are the foundation of the gravy, and slowly whisking in the liquids lifts them into the sauce instead of leaving them on the pan.

Lightly floured pork chops brown in a skillet before onion gravy is made. — Floured pork chops brown in a skillet, leaving a flavorful fond for the onion gravy.

Keep the simmer gentle

Once the gravy is smooth, the pork needs only a quiet covered simmer. A rolling boil can tighten the meat and reduce the sauce too quickly, while gentle heat gives the onions time to soften further around the chops.

Make cornbread part of the plate

Cornbread is more than a side here: its tender crumb is the natural place for a spoonful of gravy. Bake it early, keep it warm, and cut it just before serving so its edges stay inviting beside the saucy pork.

Close view of tender pork under onion gravy with a warm cornbread wedge. — A tender pork chop sits under glossy onion gravy beside a warm wedge of cornbread.

If the gravy needs adjusting

If the gravy thickens more than you like before the pork is done, loosen it with a small splash of stock and return to a gentle simmer. If it seems thin once the chops reach temperature, uncover briefly and let the sauce reduce while turning the chops to coat.

Southern Smothered Pork Chops with Cornbread

4 servings

60 minutes total

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork chops (3/4 inch thick)
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 package cornbread mix, prepared according to package directions

Method

Heat the oven
Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 400 F, giving the oven time to come fully to temperature while you prepare the pork chops.
Look for: The oven signals that it has reached 400 F.
Bake the cornbread
Prepare the cornbread mix according to its package directions and bake it at 400 F until the top is golden and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean; keep it warm.
Look for: The cornbread is golden, set in the middle, and pulls slightly from the pan edges.
Season and dredge pork
Pat the 3/4-inch-thick pork chops dry, season both sides with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper, then coat them in the all-purpose flour, shaking off the excess and reserving 2 tbsp flour for the gravy.
Look for: Each pork chop has a thin, even flour coating with no wet patches.
Brown the pork chops
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown the pork chops for 3 minutes per side, working in batches if needed, then transfer them to a plate.
Look for: Both sides of the pork chops are deeply golden with browned bits left in the skillet.
Soften onion and garlic
Reduce the heat to medium, add the yellow onion to the skillet, and cook until soft and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic cloves and cook just until fragrant.
Look for: The onion is soft with caramel-colored edges and the garlic smells fragrant, not browned.
Build the gravy
Add the reserved all-purpose flour and unsalted butter to the onions; stir for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock and whole milk, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer until the gravy coats a spoon.
Look for: The gravy is smooth, glossy, and leaves a clear trail when a spoon is drawn across the skillet.
Smother until tender
Return the pork chops and any juices to the gravy, turning to coat. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the pork reaches 145 F and is tender, about 15 minutes.
Look for: The pork reaches 145 F in the thickest part and the gravy is thick enough to cling to the chops.
Rest and serve
Rest the smothered pork chops in the gravy off heat for 3 minutes, then spoon the rich onion gravy over each chop and serve hot wedges of cornbread alongside.
Look for: The pork juices have settled and the cornbread is warm enough to soak up the gravy.