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Recipes for smothered pork, steak, and collards

These Southern classics make for a hearty, winter-perfect meal.

Onion and herb-smothered pork chops, Southern-style.Photograph by Jim Scherer / Styling by Catrine Kelty

Smothering a spouse or partner may lead to marital discord, but smothering a few pork chops or cheap steaks leads straight to a comfy, satisfying meal with a down-home feel. A Southern cooking technique attributed by many to the Louisiana Cajuns (and by others to Mississippi cooks), smothering meat, poultry, or seafood means, essentially, to braise it until it's super tender. Simple as that sounds, there's disagreement over the details. Some cooks believe the food braises "in its own juices," with little added liquid, while many others braise in a roux-thickened oniony gravy, made after the meat is browned initially. When it comes to meats like pork chops and steaks, I'm with the gravy folk. Southern cooks also smother vegetables, though generally they're cooked in onions and liquid rather than gravy.

ONION AND HERB-SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS, SOUTHERN-STYLE

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Serves 6

Smothered meats are always served with hot white rice alongside.

3 slices bacon (about 3 ounces), cut into ¼-inch pieces

Neutral oil, as necessary

3 large onions, halved and thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon minced or grated garlic (about 4 medium cloves)

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

6 bone-in pork rib chops (about ¾ inch thick, 2 ¾ pounds total), patted dry

¼ cup flour

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

3 scallions, whites and greens, thinly sliced

In a large, heavy, straight-sided saute or braising pan (with a cover) over medium heat, fry the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain and set aside. Pour the rendered bacon fat into a measuring cup (you should have roughly 3 tablespoons) and add enough neutral oil to equal 1/3 cup, if necessary.

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Adjust the heat under the pan to medium-high, add 1 tablespoon of the bacon-fat mixture, and heat it for a moment. Add the onions, bay leaves, and ½ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring, until onions are golden and brown at the edges, about 10 minutes (adjust the heat if the fond threatens to burn). Add the garlic, rosemary, and sage, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 40 seconds. Scrape the onion mixture into a large bowl, return the pan to the heat, add about ¼ cup broth, and, with a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen and dissolve the fond, about 30 seconds; pour the liquid into the onion mixture and wipe out the pan.

Return the pan to medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons of the bacon-fat mixture, and heat until shimmering. Working in batches if necessary, sprinkle the chops generously with salt and pepper, and cook, undisturbed, until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes, turning them halfway through the browning time (adjust the heat if the fond threatens to burn). Transfer the chops to a bowl and set aside. Return the pan to the heat, add about ¼ cup broth, and, with a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen and dissolve the fond, about 30 seconds; pour the liquid into the onion mixture and wipe out the pan.

TIP: As you cook the roux to the color of peanut butter, it gets screaming hot and can cause a nasty burn if it splatters on you. That’s why I choose an especially long-handled utensil to stir, and you must keep stirring it. My favorite long-handled spatula is wooden, Italian-made, and inexpensive; it’s available at China Fair (2100 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, 617-864-3050, and 70 Needham Street, Newton, 617- 332-1250; ).Photograph by Jim Scherer / Styling by Catrine Kelty

Adjust the heat to medium, add the remaining bacon-fat mixture, and heat for a moment. Stirring constantly, gradually add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly and reaching into the corners of the pan (to work out any small lumps), until the mixture smells toasty and turns the color of peanut butter, about 6 minutes (the roux thins as it cooks; if it begins to smoke, remove from heat and stir to cool slightly). Whisking constantly, add the broth in a slow, steady stream. Add the accumulated pork juices and the liquid from the onion mixture in the same way, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to boil, stirring (skim off any foam that forms on the surface). Add the onion mixture and stir to combine. Add the chops, nestle them into the onion mixture, and bring to a simmer. Adjust the heat to very low, cover, and simmer until pork is very tender, about 40 minutes.

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Place the chops on a warm serving platter and tent with foil. Adjust the heat to medium-high and simmer the onion mixture, stirring, until thickened to gravy consistency, about 6 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, add the reserved bacon, the parsley, and most of the scallions, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if necessary. Pour the gravy over the chops, sprinkle with the remaining scallions, and serve at once.

> Variation

SMOTHERED STEAKS, SOUTHERN-STYLE

Serves 6

When the steaks have finished cooking but before serving them, you might want to cut out the line of gristle that runs down the center, so diners don't have to. It will not have dissolved completely and will be chewy.

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Follow the directions for Onion and Herb-Smothered Pork Chops, Southern-Style, making the following changes:

1) For one of the onions, substitute 1 medium cubanelle pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped, and 1 large celery rib, chopped.

2) For the rosemary and sage, substitute 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1½ teaspoons dried oregano, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

3) For the pork chops, substitute 6 beef top blade steaks, about 8 ounces each, patted dry, and increase the simmering time to about 1 3/4 hours (steaks should be very tender; the tip of a paring knife inserted into the meat will meet little resistance).

4) Use 1½ teaspoons black pepper.

SMOTHERED COLLARD GREENS, SOUTHERN-STYLE

Makes about 4 cups

Serve the greens with extra vinegar, hot sauce, and a hunk of corn bread.

4 slices bacon (about 4 ounces), cut into ¼-inch pieces

1 large onion, chopped

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon minced or grated garlic (about 4 medium cloves)

2 teaspoons sugar

3 tablespoons cider vinegar, plus extra for serving

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, or more as necessary

1½ pounds (about 1 very large bunch) collard greens, tough stems removed and leaves cut into roughly 3-inch pieces (about 4 quarts, lightly packed)

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, fry the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain and set aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon rendered fat, return the pot to medium heat, add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sugar, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 40 seconds. Add the 3 tablespoons vinegar and, with a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen and dissolve the fond; simmer for about 1 minute. Add the broth, adjust heat to medium-high, and bring to a strong simmer. Add the collard greens and stir until they just begin to wilt. Adjust the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 30 to 75 minutes (depending on whether you prefer your greens with a bit of texture or meltingly soft), adding the reserved bacon partway through cooking and extra broth (or water) if the pot seems dry. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt if necessary and pepper to taste, and serve with a bit of the cooking liquid.

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Adam Ried appears regularly on "America's Test Kitchen." Send comments to cooking@globe.com.