Pork Chops in Cream Sauce

These pork chops braise in a sauce that hits sweet, savory, and tangy all at once. Brown sugar and ketchup provide the sweetness, beef bouillon adds savory depth, and garlic and onion round out the base. Thirty to 40 minutes of covered simmering turns the chops fork-tender.

The sour cream finish is where this sauce goes from good to memorable. After the chops come out, the cooking liquid gets thickened with a flour-water slurry, then sour cream stirs in for a rich, tangy gravy. The all-caps warning in the directions says it all: DO NOT BOIL after adding the sour cream. Boiling curdles sour cream into a broken, grainy mess. Gentle heat only.

This is the kind of recipe that uses pantry staples to create something that tastes far more involved than it is. Ketchup as a sauce ingredient might sound odd, but in a braise like this it contributes tomato sweetness and body without needing a whole can of tomatoes.

Kitchen Tips

• Simmer covered for the full 30 to 40 minutes until the chops are genuinely tender. Tough chops mean they needed more time
• Mix the flour with cold water before adding to the hot liquid. This prevents lumps
• Add the sour cream last and heat gently. Any boiling after sour cream goes in will curdle the sauce
• Use bone-in chops for more flavor. The bone enriches the braising liquid

Variations

• Add sliced mushrooms to the sauce during simmering for an earthy addition
• Use Dijon mustard in place of ketchup for a sharper, more French-style sauce
• Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes to soak up the gravy