Creamy Cajun Porkchops

It is well-known that I am not a fan of 1) spicy foods or 2) vegetables.

This recipe has both.

And it was fan-freakin-tastic. I mean that from the bottom of my mushroom-hating heart, I knew there were vegetables in this and it was all I could do to not lick my plate. I wish I had made more but I underestimated the taste-meter on this one!

As I’ve also mentioned, the Ninja does not have a way with words. Meaning he describes things as “fine,” “ok,” “alright” or, the very rare, “good.” Y’all, I kid you not, after the first bite he said “This is VERY, VERY GOOD.” I mean, I know he still said the dreaded “good” but dang, two “verys!” #winninginthekitchen #toomanyquotationmarks

Anyhow, I am adding this to my treasure trove of never-fail pork recipes (view a few more here). The original recipe came from The Hungry Bluebird but I made a few changes, as per my usual recipe preparations. I really hope you get two “verys” from your supper crowd when you put this on the table!

Ingredients

• 4 thick-cut (1″ to 1 1/2″) pork chops
• black pepper, to taste
• kosher salt

  

• 2 T butter
• 1 small onion, diced (you can use white or yellow, I used white)
• 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms, about 4 ounces ~ (I substituted a can of regular mushroom slices/pieces, Great Value brand) 
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup chicken stock or broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 T Cajun seasoning 
• 1 t paprika
• cooked egg noodles, for serving (I used rotini pasta, because that’s what I had!)

Instructions

1. Season chops with plenty of black pepper to taste and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Heat 2 T butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chops (to avoid overcooking, I kept this process to about 1-2 minutes per side). Remove chops to a plate and set aside, leaving fat in skillet.
   
2. Add onions and mushrooms to skillet and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and a pinch of salt and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds.
   
3. Add the chicken stock and deglaze the pan, stirring up any browned bits. Season with another sprinkle of salt. Turn down the heat to a simmer, add the bay leaves and nestle the chops back in the sauce (you’ll need to spoon some of the sauce on top of the chops). Cover and simmer on low for about 10-15 minutes until the chops are cooked through (~10 minutes got my chops to a perfect 145*F).

   

4. Remove cooked chops to plate and cover loosely with foil.  Increase heat to high and bring pan juices to a boil and reduce by about half. Skim as much fat from the surface as you can.
5. Remove bay leaves and turn heat down to low. Whisk in sour cream, Cajun seasoning and paprika until smooth and creamy and heat for 3 minutes, be careful not to boil. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Add chops back to pan and coat in sauce and heat another minute or two (no more though!). Serve over hot pasta with plenty of sauce and chopped fresh parsley (for garnish, if you’re into that sort of thing).
   

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

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