Pork Chops with Mushroom Sauce - YUMMY

My husband likes to buy meats from the 5 for 20 section of our local grocery store.  This presents a challenge because I have to cook what he buys right away.  Which is okay.   Today I had pork chops.  I'm not a fan because they always come out dry.  Even if I try really hard to not overcook them.   Guess it's a pork chop thing.  They had a brine recipe to go along with this recipe.  So I thought I'd give it a try.  And I'm thankful I did.   In a saucepan combine 3 cups water, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup sea salt, 1/4 cup raw honey, and 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns. Bring to a boil and stir to combine. Allow to cool completely, then put the chops and brine in a large plastic resealable bag and place in the fridge for about 2 hours. Rinse the chops and pat dry before cooking. Paleo Pork Chops With Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:- 2 Tbsp. + 2 more Tbsp. lard/bacon fat or tallow  (I USED BACON FAT)
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp. crushed garlic
- 1 pound mushrooms  (I HAVE NO CLUE HOW MUCH THIS WAS, I JUST USED WHAT I HAD)
- 4 boneless pork chops, 3/4 inch think
- 1 tsp. sea salt (reduce the amount of salt if brining chops ahead of time)  (I BRINED MY CHOPS)
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
- 1 cup chicken broth

Directions:1. Wipe the mushrooms with a slightly damp paper towel to clean. Slice the mushrooms and set aside.
2. Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. of lard/bacon fat or tallow to the pan. Add the chopped onion and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes or until onions are translucent.
3. Add the mushrooms to the pan, making sure to leave some space between each one. You may need to cook them in a couple batches depending on the size of your pan. When the mushrooms begin to turn brown, about 2-3 minutes, flip them over with a pair of kitchen tongs and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle the mushrooms lightly with sea salt and ground pepper. Remove the mushroom and onion mixture from the pan and set aside.
4. Season the pork chops with the sea salt, pepper and paprika. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. of fat to the pan and allow the get hot. Add the pork chops, making sure they are spaced apart, and brown for about 2 minutes on each side. Add the chicken broth and rosemary to the pan and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Allow to cook for an additional 15 minutes, flipping the chops halfway through (do not overcook the pork chop!)
5. Remove the lid and return the mushroom mixture to pan, turning the heat up to medium-high and cooking for an additional 2 minutes. Remove form heat, place the pork chops on a serving platter, top with the mushroom sauce from the pan and serve.

I used portabella mushrooms and at the end added some corn starch to thicken the sauce.  About 1 Tbls spoon, watered down to mix in.

http://www.paleocupboard.com/pork-chops-with-mushroom-sauce.html