Smothered Pork Chops with Collard Greens
- 4 shoulder pork chops cut 1 1/2 inches thick
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour for chops, plus 2 tablespoons for sauteing vegetables
- 2 tablespoons reserved hock fat
- 1 green pepper seeded 1/4-inch sliced
- 2 medium onions 1/4-inch sliced
- 3 cups hock stock, hot
- 1/2 gallon ham hock stock
- 5 large bunches of collard greens chopped into 4-inch pieces
- 1 large onion peeled
- 1 jalapeno pepper, split in half lengthwise
- Malt vinegar to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 10 pounds smoked ham hocks
- 10 pounds fresh ham hocks
- Season each chop with salt and pepper, then dust with flour.
- Heat a cast iron skillet just large enough to hold the pork over a medium heat.
- Add the reserved pork fat and brown the pork chop well-approximately 4 minutes per side.
- Remove the chops from the pan and set aside.
- If the pan is dry, add another tablespoon of fat.
- Add the onions and peppers.
- Increase the heat to medium high in order to brown the vegetables well.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from the flame and stir in the hot hock stock until thickened and smooth.
- Bury the pork chops in the gravy.
- Cover the skillet and place in a 300 degree oven.
- Cook 2 hours, or until pork is very tender
- Place hock stock in a large sauce pot over a medium high heat.
- Bring hock stock to a rapid simmer.
- Pack collards into the stock with the onion and jalapeno.
- Simmer 2 hours.
- Season to taste with salt, pepper and malt vinegar.
- Place ham hocks in a stock pot large enough to hold the hocks, leaving 6 inches of free space at the top of the pot.
- Pour enough cold water over the hocks to cover by 3 inches.
- Bring to a rapid simmer over a medium high heat.
- A thick foam will build on the top of the stock.
- Carefully remove all of the foam.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer 6 hours.
- Constantly skim the clear fat that builds at the top of the stock.
- Reserve the fat for cooking.
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Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/smothered-pork-chops-with-collard-greens-recipe.html (may not work)