Not Cream Of Mushroom — This Soup Is The 'Golden' Key For Succulent Pork Chops

Pursuing the perfect pork chop is the goal of many home cooks, and there are a number of strategies from complex marinades to optimum broiling times and temperatures to coax them to their juicy, succulent best. One popular method involves using cream of mushroom soup as a simmer sauce over browned chops. But there's an even more flavorful option: Canned golden mushroom soup. With cooked mushrooms swimming in beef stock and tomato puree, the soup provides complex umami notes, bright acids, and a tasty sauce for your pork chops, while keeping them moist as they finish cooking.

Cooking pork chops in cream of mushroom and other condensed soups has been popular since the 1950s and '60s, and you can find plenty of recipes online today. However, using golden mushroom soup brings a distinct, updated vibe to the dish. It's an underrated ingredient for the perfect pot roast, and the same technique works with pork chops. In addition to its rich flavor profile, canned golden mushroom soup has a lighter consistency with half the total fat and fewer calories than canned cream of mushroom, depending on the brand.

If you prefer to bake your pork chops, you can brown them in a pan, then toss them in a Dutch oven with the soup and other ingredients, cooking low for three or four hours. You can even use a slow cooker or Instant Pot. But one fast and easy approach to succulent pork chops in golden mushroom gravy is to cook everything on the stovetop in a single large frying pan.

Essentially, this is a quick way to create homemade smothered pork chops. At its most basic, you'll brown pork chops in a large skillet for four to six minutes on each side, depending on thickness, and set them aside. You might grill or sauté sliced onions in the same pan until slightly browned. Add a can or two of golden mushroom soup and a little water, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and submerge the pork chops until everything is nice and hot and the meat has an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, about five to 10 minutes.

Brining or marinating the meat for a few hours is a clever way to tenderize and add another level of moisture and flavor. Apple cider vinegar is a good marinade base, with Worcestershire or soy sauce and seasonings. If you like to deep-fry, dredge pork chops in flour and submerge them in hot oil (about 350 degrees Fahrenheit) for about eight minutes. This not only locks in a little more moisture, but also provides additional fond (cooked bits in the pan) for the onions and sauce.

Of course, you're not limited when it comes to the ingredients. Beef up your favorite flavor component of golden mushroom soup by adding sautéed mushrooms, canned diced tomatoes, or beef stock. Cook sliced bell peppers or sweet potato rounds, or dump a can of drained chickpeas with the soup, stirring in a few tablespoons of the bean aquafaba for extra creaminess. For balance, a dash of cooking sherry or white wine brightens up the sauce nicely. Serve the pork chops covered in the mushroom sauce, alongside fried apples and mashed potatoes (covered in more sauce).