Ingredients
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6 Pork
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1 teaspoon Salt
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1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
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3 tablespoons Bacon
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1 cup uncooked converted Rice
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1 can (14 ounces) Chicken broth
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cans (14.5 ounces each) pitted tart red Cherries
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2 tablespoons Sugar
Directions
Whenever I travel about the South, I head for the nearest bookstore and have a look at the local cookbooks, those spiral-bound paperbacks published by churches and clubs to raise funds for good works. I have hundreds of these now, dozens from every Southern state. One recipe that keeps cropping up in these local fund-raisers—apparently old, but new to me—is this unusual but oh, so easy pork chop casserole. Note: As with the Moravian Baked Pork Chops and Baked Pecan-Stuffed Pork Chops, use good heritage pork here instead of prepackaged supermarket chops.
Steps
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1
Done
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Pat pork chops dry with paper toweling, then rub both sides of each chop with salt and pepper and set aside. |
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2
Done
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Heat drippings in large heavy skillet over moderately high heat 11⁄2 to 2 minutes until ripples appear on pan bottom. Add chops and brown about 2 minutes on each side. |
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3
Done
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Meanwhile, spread rice over bottom of ungreased shallow 4-quart casserole (15 × 10½ × 2 inches is a good size). Combine broth mixture and cherries, spoon over rice layer taking care not to dislodge it, then sprinkle with half the spiced sugar. Nestle browned pork chops side |
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4
Done
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Slide onto middle oven shelf and bake about 1¼ hours until chops are tender. |
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5
Done
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Serve hot with a simply steamed and seasoned green vegetable broccoli, perhaps, or Brussels sprouts, or green beans. |
