PAT Have mercy—I could eat pork chops 7 days a week. I eat ’em grilled, fried, or baked, but my absolute favorite is a smothered pork chop. When I pull up and smell the fantastic aroma coming from the stovetop, it stops me in my tracks. That’s Tanya, working her magic. GINA Okay . . . if my sister wasn’t my sister, I would think she is trying to get my man! She knows that he loves pork chops, and I am the only one other than his mama who is supposed to know that! Tanya uses all the right ingredients: adding chicken broth for more moisture, and a dash of hot sauce and cayenne to spice it up (hey, sister, that’s my thang). This is the only time I will bend on letting someone cook for Pat!

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　4 pork chops, 1 inch thick, bone-in

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 cup all-purpose flour

　　2 tablespoons onion powder

　　1 tablespoon garlic powder

　　1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　1 teaspoon smoked paprika

　　1/4 cup peanut oil

　　6 green onions, thinly sliced

　　2 cups chicken broth

　　3/4 cup buttermilk

　　Dash of hot sauce, preferably Tabasco

　　Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

　　

Step 1

Pat the chops dry with a paper towel, and season with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 2

Combine the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper on a rimmed plate. Dredge the chops through the mixture on both sides.

　　

Step 3

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, and coat with the oil. When the oil is hot, slip in the chops and fry on each side, about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove the chops to a plate and set aside.

　　

Step 4

Toss the green onions into the pan, and sauté until fragrant, about a minute. Add 3 tablespoons of the seasoned flour (left over from dredging the pork chops) to the skillet, and stir with a wooden spoon until it makes a paste. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, making sure there are no lumps. Turn up the heat, and allow the chicken broth to reduce and thicken, occasionally stirring. Once the sauce coats the back of your wooden spoon, pour in the buttermilk, and add a dash of hot sauce. Stir to combine.

　　

Step 5

Return the pork chops to the skillet, and simmer for 15 more minutes, until the chops are cooked through. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends.Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.