Easy Pork Chops with Sauce

This is one of those recipes that I saw multiple variations of in various places, all the way from a few community cookbooks to the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook to postings on a cooking list. I normally saute pork chops a la Bittman in How to Cook Everything, a book I dearly love. But that requires last minute attention. I've mentioned we're in swim team season now and I wanted something that I could get ready that could then sit on the stove for a bit and stay warm.

2-4 pork loin chops
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
1 Tbs oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or make your own, of course)
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup catsup

Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper at least, and garlic powder as well if you like. Heat the oil and brown the chops on both sides. Mix together the cream of soup, Worcestershire sauce, and catsup. Pour over the chops and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45-60 minutes at a slow simmer.

I bought 2 pretty large chops in the mark-down aisle for $2.89. I did actually use a can of soup, although I normally make my own so that was .50. The rest of the ingredients couldn't add up to .25 total so let's call it about .90 a serving since I got 4 servings out of it.

These were really good, moist and tender. The sauce went great on the mashed potatoes I made to with them. A side of fresh asparagus rounded out the meal.

Oh the variations I saw included some with a sliced onion on top of the chops, some with a soup can of milk added, some without catsup and/or Worcestershire sauce. Several recipes had you brown the chops and then put them and the sauce into a baking dish and bake at 350 F. for 45-60 minutes.