A roomy Dutch oven is a true multitasker especially when it comes to creative one-pot cooking. While developing our take on Southern-style smothered pork chops in a rich, oniony gravy, we wondered whether we could make a side dish in the same pot without saturating our whole meal with the heavy gravy. We discovered that we could braise the pork chops until they were nearly tender, then use a steamer basket to elevate broccoli florets above the chops, utilizing the moisture already in the pot to steam the vegetable to crisp-tender perfection. Cutting slits in the pork chops prevented them from curling and made fitting the steamer basket in the pot easy. You will need a collapsible steamer basket for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, chopped fine
- 4 (8- to 10-ounce) bone-in blade-cut pork chops, ¾ inch thick, trimmed
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, halved and sliced thin
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
How to Make It
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot.
- Cut 2 slits, about 2 inches apart, through fat on edges of each pork chop. Pat chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat fat left in pot over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chops (they will overlap slightly) and brown on both sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to separate plate.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil, onion, and ¼ teaspoon salt to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat until onion is softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in water, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, add flour, and cook, stirring often, until well browned, about 5 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps. Add bay leaves and bring to simmer. Nestle chops into pot, adding any accumulated juices. Cover, transfer pot to oven, and cook until chops are almost fork-tender, about 1 hour.
- Remove pot from oven. Place steamer basket on top of chops and add broccoli to basket. Cover, return pot to oven, and cook until broccoli is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Remove pot from oven and remove basket of broccoli from pot. Toss broccoli in bowl with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer chops to serving platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing sauce.
- Using wide, shallow spoon, skim any fat from surface of sauce. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chops, sprinkle with bacon and parsley, and serve with broccoli.