Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by America's Test Kitchen
Ingredients
2slicesof baconcut into 1/4 inch pieces
1tbspflour
¾cup+ 2 tbsp chicken broth
1tbspvegetable oil
2bone-in rib pork chops. 1/2 to 3/4 inch thickpatted dry with paper towels
Freshly cracked black pepperto taste
1yellow onionhalved and sliced thin
Sea saltto taste
1tbspwater
2clovesof garlicminced
½tspfresh thyme leaves
1bay leaf
½tbspfresh parsley
Instructions
Cook the bacon crumbles in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel; set aside.
Make the roux by removing all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the skillet.
Add the flour and cook, stirring often, for a few minutes until the color is dark golden brown like the color of peanut butter, about 3-4 minutes.
Whisk in the chicken broth in a slow stream; increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and cover; set aside.
Cook the pork chops by adding one tablespoon of oil (or bacon grease) to a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel then season with freshly cracked pepper, to taste, on both sides of the pork.
Render the fat on the side of the chop if needed by using tongs to hold the pork chop upright while the fat cooks down for 2 minutes.
After rendering the side fat, lay the pork down in the HOT skillet and cook for 3 minutes then flip and cook another 3 minutes.
Remove from the skillet and place on a plate then cover loosely with tin foil.
Cook the onions by adding a bit more oil to the skillet, if needed, then add the onions and water then season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Cook, stirring often, until the onions are softened and browned around the edges, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and fresh thyme leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Finish the chops by returning them to the skillet then covering them with the onions, reserved sauce from the other skillet, and any juices from the pork chop plate.
Add the bay leaf to the sauce in the skillet then cover with a lid and reduce heat to low, and simmer until the pork is tender and a pairing knife inserted into the chops meets very little resistance, about 30 minutes.
Transfer chops to a serving plate and cover loosely with a tent of tin foil.
Finish the sauce by increasing the heat to medium-high and simmer the sauce rapidly, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf, stir in the parsley, and taste.
Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, if needed.
Cover the chops with the sauce and top with more parsley and crumbled bacon. Serve and enjoy.