Pork Loin Chops With Pear-and-Vidalia Pan Gravy

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 32 minutes
Bake: 7 minutes
Yield: Make 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons  kosher salt
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  freshly ground pepper
• 6  (1-inch-thick) bone-in pork loin chops (about 4 lb.)
• 1  tablespoon  peanut oil
• 2  tablespoons  unsalted butter
• 1  large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2  Bartlett pears, peeled and diced (about 2 cups), divided
• 3/4  cup  chicken broth
• 1  teaspoon  all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon  dry sherry*
• 1  teaspoon  sherry vinegar**
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garnish: sliced green onions

Preparation

1. Combine 1 Tbsp. flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of flour mixture on 1 side of each chop.

2. Cook chops, in batches, flour mixture sides down, in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until browned. (Do not turn.) Sprinkle remaining flour mixture on top of each chop; turn chops over, and cook 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to an aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.

3. Bake chops at 425° for 7 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 150°. Transfer chops to a platter, and keep warm. Reserve juices in broiler pan for later use.

4. Add butter, onion, and half of pears to skillet; cook over medium-low heat 8 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.

5. Stir together broth and 1 tsp. flour in a small bowl. Stir broth mixture, sherry, vinegar, and reserved juices from chops into skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat, and stir in remaining pears. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon gravy over chops. Garnish, if desired.

*1 Tbsp. port may be substituted.

**1 tsp. cider vinegar may be substituted.

from their cookbook,

The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook

Norton, Southern Living, DECEMBER 2007