Smothered Pork Chops, Fried Cabbage, Cornbread & Rice – Jerica's Scratch Kitchen Style

Step 1: Prepare Rice

Cook rice using a rice cooker or according to package directions. Set aside.

Step 2: Cook Bacon for Cabbage

Fry 0.5 pound of bacon until crispy. Remove bacon, reserving 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan.

Step 3: Sauté Onions for Cabbage

Add 0.33 of a small, sliced onion to the bacon grease in the pan. Sauté until caramelized, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 4: Cook Cabbage

Add 1 small head of cleaned and cut cabbage to the pan with the onions. Cover and let it sweat down for 2-3 minutes.

Step 5: Season Cabbage

Uncover the cabbage. Add 1 tablespoon Accent seasoning, 0.5 tablespoon onion powder, 0.5 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, 0.5 teaspoon Slap Yo Mama seasoning, and 0.5 teaspoon Tony's Creole seasoning. Mix well.

Step 6: Add Bacon to Cabbage

Stir in the cooked bacon. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes for al dente cabbage, or 4-5 minutes for well-done cabbage. Set aside.

Step 7: Prepare Cornbread Batter

In a stand mixer, combine 2 boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, 2 room-temperature eggs, 0.66 cup milk, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 0.5 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon melted margarine. Mix until just combined.

Step 8: Bake Cornbread Muffins

Pour batter into a muffin tin and bake according to package directions (typically 15-20 minutes). Set aside.

Step 9: Season Pork Chops

Season 4 thick-cut pork chops with 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon Accent seasoning, 0.5 teaspoon Tony's Creole seasoning, 0.5 teaspoon Slap Yo Mama seasoning, and 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika on each side.

Step 10: Prepare Flour Mix for Coating

In a large resealable bag, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups cornstarch, and 1 cup chicken fry mix. Shake to combine.

Step 11: Coat Pork Chops

Dredge each seasoned pork chop in the flour mix, ensuring it's fully coated. Shake off any excess flour and place on a wire rack to rest.

Step 12: Pan-Fry Pork Chops

Preheat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Test the oil with a small piece of pork chop to ensure it sizzles. Carefully place pork chops in the hot oil and pan-fry for 3-5 minutes per side until golden brown. They will finish cooking in the oven.

Step 13: Prepare Gravy Base

Pour off about half of the oil from the pot, leaving enough to sauté vegetables. Add 8 ounces of sliced mixed bell peppers and 0.5 of a small, sliced onion. Sauté until softened, about 5-10 minutes.

Step 14: Make the Roux

Add 0.5 cup of the flour mix (from step 10) to the sautéed vegetables. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes to cook the flour and create a roux.

Step 15: Add Water to Gravy

Gradually add 4.5 cups of water to the roux, stirring continuously to prevent lumps and achieve desired consistency. Turn the heat to low to allow the gravy to simmer.

Step 16: Season Gravy

Add 2 teaspoons Kitchen Bouquet, 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 0.5 tablespoon Accent seasoning, 0.5 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon Tony's Creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon Slap Yo Mama seasoning, and 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Step 17: Add Thyme and Cubanelle Pepper

Add 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme (or dried) and 1 sliced Cubanelle pepper to the gravy for additional flavor. Stir to combine.

Step 18: Assemble and Bake Smothered Pork Chops

Preheat oven to 375°F (≈190°C) (approximately 190°C) (190°C (≈375°F) (approximately 375°F)). Place the pan-fried pork chops in a baking dish, ensuring they are not overlapping. Pour the prepared gravy over the pork chops. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until pork chops are tender and cooked through.

Step 19: Plate the Dish

Place a mound of cooked white rice on a plate. Add a serving of fried cabbage next to the rice. Place a cornbread muffin on the plate. Carefully transfer a smothered pork chop from the baking dish to the plate. Drizzle honey over the cornbread muffin. Spoon extra gravy over the rice and pork chop. Garnish with chopped green onions.

• Use a rice cooker for perfectly cooked rice, or follow package directions.

• Bacon grease adds significant flavor to the fried cabbage.

• Cook cabbage on low heat to allow it to sweat down and become tender.

• Shake off excess flour from pork chops before frying to prevent burning the grease.

• Gradually add water to the gravy to control consistency.

• Taste and adjust gravy seasoning to your preference; you can always add more, but you can't take away.

• Use Kitchen Bouquet or soy sauce for a darker gravy color.

• Fresh or dried thyme can be used for added aroma and flavor.

• Cubanelle peppers are used for flavor, not spice; poblano peppers would add heat.

• Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to keep the pork chops moist while baking.

• For al dente cabbage, cook for 2-3 minutes after covering. For well-done cabbage, cook for 4-5 minutes.

• For a spicier gravy, use poblano peppers instead of Cubanelle.

• Pork chops can be cooked entirely on the stovetop if preferred, ensuring they are fully submerged in gravy to cook through.