Braised Pork Chops with Cabbage, Bacon and Parsley Sauce
This recipe for braised pork chops with cabbage and bacon is hearty and satisfying and perfect for St. Patrick's Day, although I think it fits the bill for any cool night's dinner when you need a little comfort food.
Simple Braised Pork Chops
I hate to pigeon-hole recipes to a specific day of the year, but… if you are looking for a delicious alternative to the traditional corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day, this recipe is a great option. Braised pork chops with cabbage and bacon is a delicious and comforting meal that can be enjoyed any time of the year, honestly, but it does fit well into mid-winter or early spring, which is what the weather feels like in mid March (at least in Canada it does!).
Skillet Braised Chops
Braising pork chops is an excellent way to cook them to perfection, ensuring they remain tender and juicy. The trick is to use the right pan and not to over-cook the chops. I like a straight sided pan for braising because it needs to hold liquid and with straight sides, there’s less sloshing around. You’ll need a large pan for this recipe in order to get the cabbage wedges in along with 4 good sized pork chops – at least 11 inches in diameter – and you’ll also need to use a pan that has a lid to cover the chops while they braise.
Fitting It All In the Pan
Now, don’t get frustrated. It will feel somewhat impossible to get everything into the pan, but you need to keep the faith. The cabbage wedges are firm when you add them to the pan, but they will soften and shrink. Do your best. You can adjust the chops and cabbage part way through the cooking to nestle everything together again, or to turn things over so they share time in the delicious braising liquid.
How Long to Braise Pork Chops
Over-cooking pork chops is not uncommon, so let’s talk about that for a while. How long to braise your chops depends on two things: how thick your chops are AND how long you cooked them when you were trying to brown them originally. Use a very hot pan and brown those chops as quickly as possible – you are just looking for a little color. Then, when it comes to time under cover… as a general rule, you should cook pork chops until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). This usually takes about 30 minutes when braising pork chops that are about 1-inch thick. If your chops are thinner than that, check them a little sooner. If they are super thick, give them more time.
Parsley Sauce
Parsley sauce is a traditional British sauce that is super simple to make. It is basically a béchamel sauce that has a lot of parsley added to it. Traditionally the British serve parsley sauce with pan-fried fish or ham, and in Ireland it is always served with “Bacon and Cabbage” (which is not to be confused with this dish because that bacon is actually made with Irish boiling bacon which is nothing like North American rasher bacon at all… although this dish was inspired by Irish “Bacon and Cabbage” because I love it and long for it).
What to Serve with Braised Pork Chops
Braised pork chops go well with a variety of sides but I’m partial to mashed potatoes. I could, however, be convinced to serve it over rice or with some crusty bread on the side to soak up all the delicious sauce.
Braised Pork Chops with Cabbage, Bacon and Parsley Sauce
- Prep Time: 15 m
- Cook Time: 1 h
- Total Time: 1 h 15 m
- Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 6- ounces thick-cut bacon cut up
- 4- pound bone-in thick-cut pork loin chops
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ onion sliced
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ head green cabbage cut into 6 to 8 thin wedges
- 2 + cups chicken stock
Parsley Sauce:
- 4 tablespoon Irish butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups milk
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.
- Pre-heat a large oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook until brown and crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels with a slotted spoon and set aside.
-
Season the pork chops with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sear the pork chops in the bacon drippings for a 2 minutes on each side until brown. Transfer the chops to a plate.
- Add the onions, mustard seeds, thyme and fennel seeds to the pan and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are brown. Push the onions to one side and sear the cabbage wedges for a few minutes, browning lightly. Deglaze the pan with 2 cups of the chicken stock, scraping up the bits on the bottom of the pan.
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Return the pork chops to the pan, nestling them into the stock and vegetables. It’s ok if some of the cabbage is on top of the pork chops. Make sure the pork chops are partially covered with the liquid, adding a little more stock if needed. Cover the pan with a lid and transfer to the oven. Braise the pork chops at 325°F for 30 to 40 minutes until the chops are tender. Halfway through the braising process, flip the chops over and rotate the cabbage.
- While the pork chops are cooking, make the parsley sauce by melting the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour in the milk and bring to a boil while stirring. Lower the heat and simmer for a few minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir in the fresh parsley. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Plate the pork chops with the cabbage and onions. Top with some parsley sauce and the sprinkle the crispy bacon on top. Serve immediately.
#BraisedPorkChops #ComfortFood #StPatricksDay #HomecookedMeal #HeartyEats
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