Description
French Onion Pork Chops combine tender, juicy pork chops with rich caramelized onions and melted Gruyère cheese, baked to perfection in an oven-safe skillet. This comforting dish is enhanced by the deep flavors of beef broth and fresh thyme, making it a perfect hearty meal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 4 pork chops (bone-in, about 1-inch thick)
Vegetables
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Dairy
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (or mozzarella)
Pantry
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Garnish
- Fresh parsley or thyme, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the pork chops.
- Season pork chops: Season both sides of the pork chops generously with salt and black pepper.
- Sear pork chops: In a large oven-safe skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops for about 3–4 minutes on each side until they develop a golden brown crust. Remove them from the skillet and set aside.
- Caramelize onions: Reduce the heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized and sweet.
- Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute to release its fragrance.
- Deglaze and simmer: Pour in the beef broth, scraping up all the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Add the fresh thyme leaves and simmer for 3–5 minutes to reduce the broth slightly and concentrate the flavors.
- Return pork chops and add cheese: Nestle the seared pork chops back into the skillet among the onions. Top each chop generously with shredded Gruyère cheese.
- Bake: Transfer the oven-safe skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned and the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh parsley or thyme if desired, and serve hot with extra onion gravy spooned over each chop.
Notes
- Use Gruyère or mozzarella cheese according to your preference for melting and flavor.
- Bone-in pork chops retain moisture better for juicy results.
- Make sure to use an oven-safe skillet to transfer from stovetop to oven seamlessly.
- Adjust seasoning to your taste throughout the cooking process.
- For a richer flavor, use homemade beef broth if available.
