Smothered Pork Chops

Smothered Pork Chops

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It’s Day 6 of this round of Whole30 I’m doing and I’m finally feeling good again! Day 3-4 were the hardest so far for me; I went to bed both nights with a headache. Though strangely, I started both days feeling pretty good! It just went downhill as the day went on. Yesterday, while I was feeling good, I was CRAVING carbs like none other! Popcorn was calling to me, whispering my name from the pantry. I did not cave though! The thought of having to start over was enough to keep me compliant. 😉

Whole30 Pork ChopsSmothered Pork Chops 

I felt really good all day yesterday so I experimented with several new recipes throughout the day. A package of pork chops was sitting on the bottom of the deep freezer, just wishing to be used, so I complied. Normally, I bread my pork chops in gluten-free breadcrumbs or almond flour and fry them (see this recipe for jagerschnitzel) but I was running really low on oil. I’m determined not to go grocery shopping again this week! It’s going to be a “no-spend” week for me as I tackle my out-of-control food budget from 2018. I’ve gotten careless (oh, Thrive Market, I love you dearly but my budget does not!) and need to rein that in a bit. So, instead of frying my pork chops, I decided to drown them in a yummy onion gravy. Introducing, smothered pork chops! They’re Whole30, Paleo, and gluten-free!

I was also out of almond yogurt and contemplated for a few minutes on how to give the sauce the creaminess I desired. After standing in front of my frig and pantry for a while, and deciding coconut cream would probably not taste great in this dish, I scooped a spoonful of Kite Hill ricotta into my dish. Now, you might not be adding this ingredient to your Whole30 menu, and that’s perfectly fine. If all cheeses are a trigger food for you, Kite Hill’s plain yogurt will work just as well, if not better, in this dish. That’s what I would have put into this recipe anyway, had I had it on hand. Either way, you choose. I just don’t suggest coconut. It’s probably too sweet. Smothered pork chops is a great meal prep idea as well! Since it’s not fried, it’s not going to get soggy when you go to reheat it!

Whole30 Smothered Pork Chops

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless pork chops
  • 1 large onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp arrowroot starch
  • 1 cup chicken bone broth
  • 1/2 tsp lemon pepper
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 2 tbsp Kite Hill ricotta or yogurt

Instructions

  1. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan.
  2. Sprinkle lemon pepper on both sides of pork chops and fry in skillet until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove from pan and add more oil to pan.
  3. Lower heat on stove to low. Add onions to pan and cook slowly until caramelized (about 12-15 minutes).
  4. Add garlic, rosemary, and thyme to onions and fry over medium heat 2-3 minutes.
  5. Sprinkle arrowroot starch over onions and toss to coat. Slowly add chicken broth and whisk until sauce thickens (3-4 minutes). If needed, add more chicken broth or water until desired consistency is achieved.
  6. Lastly, whisk in ricotta and add pork chops back in. Heat through and serve immediately.