Pan-Griddled Pork Chops with Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes and Mustard Green Gravy
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Recipe by:
Serves: 2 to 4
Ingredients
Pork Chops
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 cups apple cider
  • 1 cup table salt
  • 4 bone-in, thin-cut pork chops
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
Gravy
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup firmly packed chopped mustard greens
  • 1 cup reserved stock (potlikker) from the mustard greens
  • Kosher salt
  • White pepper
Mustard Greens
  • 4 strips smoked bacon
  • ½ cup diced yellow onions
  • ½ cup diced green bell pepper
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 bunch mustard greens, washed with stems removed and chopped
  • Water
  • 1 smoked ham hock
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mashed Potatoes
  • 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • Water
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 4 ounces goat cheese
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Pork Chops
  1. Brine the pork chops by mixing the water, cider, and salt in a large covered container. Add the pork chops and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  2. In a black iron skillet over medium heat, add the oil. Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry removing all the salt. Sprinkle the pork chops with Cajun seasoning. Once the oil is hot, add the pork chops to the pan and cook until browned on both sides and fully done. Move to a paper towel-lined platter to drain. Keep warm until serving.
Gravy
  1. In the same black iron skillet over medium heat, add the flour to the remaining pan drippings. With a flat edged wooden spoon or spatula, scrape the bottom of the pan and stir the flour until it begins to cook and becomes a roux. Once it takes on a beige color, add a little milk to the roux. Stir until the mixture thickens and then add a little more milk. Once you have a thickened gravy, add the mustard and the chopped mustard greens. Continue stirring to incorporate and let the greens release their juices. As the gravy thickens again, add some of the potlikker to loosen it to a gravy consistency that will coat the back of a spoon. Taste and season with salt and white pepper. Move the pan off the heat and reserve until serving.
Mustard Greens
  1. In a large pot with a heavy lid over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon to a platter and break into pieces for later use. Add the onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the bacon drippings and cook until the onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped mustard greens and add water to cover the greens mixture. Add the ham hock and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover tightly. Let the greens cook for 45 minutes.
Mashed Potatoes
  1. In a large pot, add the potatoes. Fill with water to cover the potatoes and lightly season the water with salt. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the water from the potatoes and using a potato ricer, process the potatoes until all lumps are gone. Return the shredded potatoes to the warm pot and add butter, heavy cream, and goat cheese along with a grind of black pepper. Using a spoon, stir lightly until mixed and the cheese is melted. Cover the pot and keep warm.
For serving, turn the heat on the pan of gravy and bring back to a simmer. If the gravy has thickened too much, thin it out again by adding more potlikker.
Spoon a mound of mashed potatoes in the center of a plate and add a heaping spoonful of the mustard gravy. Top with a griddled pork chop. Serve with a bowl of mustard greens on the side along with hot cornbread and a pitcher of sweet tea.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://www.acadianatable.com/2020/07/20/pan-griddled-pork-chops/