Maple twist improves Southern smothered pork chops

Smothered pork chops, browned and bathed in a savory sauce, are the epitome of Southern comfort food.

You can “smother” almost any protein. In fact, the French word for smothered is étouffée, and in New Orleans, shrimp is often the protein of choice.

For this week's recipe, we're going with the often-used pork chops, and to ensure those pork chops are juicy and tender at the end of the cooking process, I'm taking a few important steps.

First, I brine the chops in a simple mixture of salt and sugar. The brine not only infuses flavor, it also changes the structure of the muscle proteins, allowing them to hold on to more moisture when exposed to heat.

The second step is to brown the chops first, then transfer them to a plate while allowing the sauce to simmer long enough to deepen its flavor. The pork chops are returned just in time to cook to their desired doneness. The USDA now tells us that 145 degrees is safe for cooked pork, which is more a pinkish medium than well done.

I cook these pork chops to 140 degrees, because they will continue to cook while the chops rest. Which brings me to my last tip: Let the chops rest before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat so they don't all spill out with the first cut.

While this dish is iconic, I did take a few liberties when it comes to the sauce.

Typically, the sauce includes mushrooms as well the onions, and often gets a splash of heavy cream.

For this recipe, I skip the mushrooms and heighten the sweetness of the onions with a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup.

Dijon mustard balances out the sauce perfectly, keeping it from wandering too far into the sweet category.

I like to serve this with mashed potatoes to make sure I take advantage of every drop of the addictive sauce, but rice or buttered noodles would also be a delicious choice.

RECIPE

Maple Mustard Smothered Pork Chops

Serves 4

A comfort food classic, this version has a just a hint of sweet and sour thanks to the addition of Dijon mustard and maple syrup. This recipe must be made in advance. From Meredith Deeds.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 c. sugar

1/3 c., plus 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

4(1-in. thick) bone-in pork chops

1/2 c. all-purpose flour 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 tsp. black pepper

3c. chicken stock

2tbsp. Dijon mustard 2 tbsp. pure maple syrup 2 tbsp. chopped parsley Mashed potatoes, buttered noodles or rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Mix 3 cups water, sugar and 1/3 cup salt together in a large bowl until dissolved. Place pork chops in brine mixture, cover and refrigerate for at least 1hour or up to 4 hours. Remove chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels.

Dredge the chops in the flour, shaking off the excess. Reserve the leftover flour. Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the pork chops and cook until they are browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add the onions, garlic, pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook,