I often get asked about the best way to cook pork chops to keep them from drying out. The truth of the matter is that it’s more about how long you cook them rather than how you cook them.
Food safety standards recommend cooking pork to an internal temperature of 145°F. Doing that will ensure it’s safe to consume and still juicy. But you shouldn’t just guess at it. The only reliable way to do it is to test the meat using an instant read thermometer. It’s something that I recommend everyone have in their kitchen and can be purchased rather affordably from places like Amazon.
Now, not only do we want our chops to be juicy, but we want them to be flavorful too, right? Well, I’ve got you covered! These Skillet Chops with French Onion Gravy are seriously the bomb. Searing them in oil and butter adds great flavor. Then we add mushrooms, beef broth and onion soup mix for a huge flavor blast, a little vinegar for bite, and we tighten it all up into a delicious gravy that you’ll be eating with a spoon. Well, I do. But don’t tell anyone.
One thing to remember is that many things will continue to cook after they’ve been taken off the heat because of the residual heat in the meat. It’s called carryover heat or carryover cooking. Keeping that in mind, I use an instant read thermometer to measure the internal temp of my chops and pull them from the heat at about 140°F then tent them with foil. The carryover heat combined with the foil will get them to that 145°F mark without overcooking them.
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Ingredients
- 4 3/4-inch bone-in center cut pork chops
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 2 cups reduced sodium beef broth, divided
- 1 (1-ounce) packet dry onion soup mix
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
- Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and season them with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-heat and melt the butter in the oil. Once hot, add the pork chops. They should sizzle when you add them. Cook on one side for 4 to 5 minutes or until brown. Turn and cook an additional to 4 to 5 minutes or until brown and the internal temp registers 140°F on a instant read meat thermometer. Remove to a plate and lightly tent with foil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Stir in 1 cup of the beef broth, the dry onion soup mix, and the vinegar. Bring to a bubble, scraping the bottom of the pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk the corn starch into the remaining 1 cup of beef broth. Pour it into the skillet and stir well. Bring to a simmer and allow the gravy to thicken. Return the pork chops to the skillet and spoon the gravy over them. Serve immediately.
