Southern Pork Chop Dinner

Step 1

Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel on both sides, which helps them brown evenly.

Step 2

Slice the onion half lengthwise from root to tip, then lay each half flat and slice crosswise into thin crescent shapes, about 1/4 inch thick.

Step 3

Mince the garlic clove until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 4

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until the surface is very hot, about 2 minutes; carefully add 1 tablespoon of butter.

Step 5

Once the butter is foaming and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, place both pork chops in the skillet.

Step 6

Cook the chops without moving them for 5 minutes until the bottom surface turns deep golden brown with a crust.

Step 7

Flip the chops over and cook for another 4 minutes until the second side is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145°F.

Step 8

Remove the cooked pork chops onto a clean plate and set aside to rest.

Step 9

Return the skillet (with all the browned bits still stuck to the bottom) to medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.

Step 10

Once the butter is foaming, add the sliced onion and minced garlic, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes until fragrant and the onion softens.

Step 11

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour over the onions, then stir for 1 minute to combine and coat everything evenly.

Step 12

Pour in 1 cup of broth while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the brown, stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan.

Step 13

Simmer the gravy over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.

Step 14

Season the gravy with salt and black pepper to taste, stirring after each addition and tasting as you go.

Step 15

While the gravy simmers, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes.

Step 16

Add the collard greens to the boiling water and stir once; simmer uncovered for 8 minutes until tender.

Step 17

Drain the collard greens in a colander, return them to the pot, and stir in 1 tablespoon of butter with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 18

Place one pork chop on each of two dinner plates, positioning it slightly off-center to the left.

Step 19

Spoon the creamy onion gravy over each pork chop, covering the meat completely.

Step 20

Divide the buttered collard greens into two portions and place them on the right side of each plate next to the pork chop.