Pork Chops with Bacon and Cabbage

Everyday Food (September 2009)

There's starting to be a nip in the air, and we're starting to look forward to more cool weather cooking. 

In fact, we spent a good chunk of Sunday in the kitchen, making potato leek soup with an excess of potatoes we've gotten from our CSA over the past few weeks. We'll defrost it this winter for a nice, warm treat on a cold day. 

Making soup has got us thinking of other cool weather dishes, like our favorite braised short ribs and risottos that use fall flavors. 

We got our first taste of real fall cooking this week with these pork chops from Everyday Food. Seared and then baked with bacon, cabbage and a simple roux, they're the epitome of autumnal deliciousness.

For those of you who dislike a big mess in the kitchen, you'll be glad to hear that this is a one-pot meal. We tend to cook such that almost every pot in our arsenal is used, so when we happen to find ourselves with only one dirty pot, it's a nice surprise. 

How does this recipe use only one pot? First, sear the pork chops on the stovetop in a roasting pan. (We were only making two pork chops, so instead we used our cast iron skillet.)  After the pork chops are nicely browned, remove them to a plate and cook the bacon in the skillet.

The recipe calls for green cabbage, but we had two small heads of purple cabbage in our crisper, so we went with that, figuring the taste would be unchanged and the purple would add a nice jolt of color to an otherwise brown dish. 

Once the cabbage is slightly browned, add a combination of milk and flour, throw the pork chops back in and then pop the whole thing in the oven. The whole dish is pretty easy and is done in less than an hour.

We loved these pork chops! Combined with the bacon and cabbage, the entire dish is wonderfully hearty, warm and comforting. The salty pork chops and smoky bacon make a great match for the nutty flavor of the cabbage. And the roux wraps everything in a smooth, silky embrace that really makes the dish special.

Give this a shot when there's a nip in the air in you neck of the woods!

Pork Chops With Bacon And Cabbage
Everyday Food (September 2009)
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(This photo: Everyday Food)

Serves 4
Prep Time: 40 min
Total Time: 50 min

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 bone-in pork chops (1-inch thick)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 strips bacon, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 head green cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds), cored and cut into 8 wedges
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Set a large heavy roasting pan across two burners over high heat; add oil and heat. Season pork with salt and pepper; brown on one side, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add bacon; cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add onion; cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add cabbage, cut side down, and cook until light golden, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Add flour and stir until coated. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then nestle pork chops in sauce. Transfer pan to oven. Bake until pork is cooked through, about 10 minutes.