This recipe for Drunken Thin Pork Chops is an easy dinner idea for busy families. This is low-maintenance cooking at its finest and will give you fall-apart-tender and delicious results. Even your kids will love it — don't worry, the alcohol cooks off!
8thin-cutboneless pork chops(mine were around ¼ inch thick- you can also use bone-in as long as they're thin cut)
1teaspoonKosher salt, to taste
¼teaspoonGround black pepper,to taste
1mediumonion,sliced into thin rings
2-3clovesfresh garlic,smashed
1cupred wine
114.5 ounce can beef broth(you can also use chicken broth if that's what you have on hand)
2Tablespoonstomato paste
Water(optional)
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
Pat the pork chops dry with paper towel and season well with salt and pepper on both sides.
In batches, sear each chop until browned on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side and then place them into a side plate. Make sure you don't overload the pan!
Once all the pork chops are browned and out of the pan, add sliced onion and smashed garlic.
Season them with salt and pepper to taste and sauté for a minute or two.
Move the veggies to the sides of the pan and add the tomato paste to the center. Cook for two minutes stirring periodically. Then stir back in the veggies, to coat.
Add the wine to the pan and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan.
After the wine has simmered for a minute or two, add broth. Stir well to combine and add the pork chops back into the pan. Bring it to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for an hour, stirring periodically. If it starts to dry out, add a little water (I didn't run into this issue). Serve immediately after the hour is up.
Notes
I'd assume you can do thick ones in the slow cooker. I haven't tested this. I've heard from others that it won't cook the alcohol out, but I've cooked other recipes in the slow cooker with wine, and the booze definitely did cook out — it could go either way. If you do try thick chops in the slow cooker (8 hours on low is what I'd do), please leave a comment and let me know how it works out and if the booze cooked out.
You could totally make this recipe with bone-in pork chops as long as they're thin-cut.
I prefer to slice my onions into thin rings because I think they look prettier. I go with a thin slice — as it all braises, they kind of melt into the sauce and eventually melt in your mouth. This takes the whole sopping-it-up-with-bread thing to a whole other delicious level.
Speaking of bread, please promise me you'll eat this with a crusty loaf of bread because that sauce is amazing and basically begs for bread to dip in it. This sauce is so tasty that you may find yourself strongly considering drinking it with a straw. No judgment. I live that life.
Make sure you give this a full hour of braising. You can go in and stir it once in a while, but leave it covered and let it work its magic.
If you feel like the sauce is drying out when braising add a little water to the pan.
If you prefer a thicker gravy, you can thicken it with a slurry. Combine a few tablespoons of flour (or cornstarch) and water, then add it about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
This recipe makes 8 thin pork chops which is a good amount for our family for 4, with leftovers for me to bring for lunch. It could easily feed four adults if you're not concerned with having leftovers.
Prep ahead: Slice onions and peel garlic.
Leftovers and Storage: These will last up to 4 days covered in the refrigerator.