Most Cajuns have their own version of smothered pork chops and smothered potatoes. I’m sharing my version, and a way to do both at the same time!
Growing up, we had smothered potatoes as a meal all by itself, and we’d serve it covered with maple syrup in our plate! Yum!
Then, when Ernie and I started dating, I learned that there are more ways than one to serve up smothered potatoes. They did not eat theirs with syrup, but they cooked theirs down with smoked sausage. I never really cared for smoked sausage, and neither did my mom, so maybe that’s why we never had it in our smothered potatoes? Needless to say, I’ve developed a taste for smoked sausage, and now we use uncured, nitrate- and nitrite-free smoked sausage that we buy at our local Rouses. I’ve also found uncured sausage at Whole Foods.
A few years ago, after having smothered potatoes as a meal all by itself, we had leftovers the next day. I decided to also cook some “sticky chicken” to go along with it. That was SO delicious! The outrageous flavor from the smothered potatoes along with the smothered meat, made such a flavorful dish! Normally, we’d just serve it up with a side of mashed potatoes, but the smothered potatoes went so well with the smothered meat. From then on, I’ve cooked smothered potatoes a few times, along with the smothered meat.
For an easy smothered potatoes dish that you don’t have to worry about, you could also throw all your ingredients into the slow cooker, and set it and forget it!
My version of starting on the stove and finishing in the oven is another way for me to start something in about 20 minutes, and then check on it later while I’m doing other things busy moms do!
Never heard of smothered anything? What exactly is “smothered,” you ask? Read 4 Steps Closer to a Cajun Kitchen to find out!
Start by peeling and chopping up the potatoes into small chunks (about 1″ cubes). In this recipe, I’m using red potatoes, leaving a little bit of skin attached. This is completely optional. Place the potatoes and diced onion and garlic into a large pot. Season with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper, and set aside.
I usually dice all the onions I will need for both dishes all at once so that they can be ready to add to the pot when needed.
Chop up your pork chops, but not too small. The meat will eventually start to fall apart, and if you’re not looking for shredded “pulled pork,” you’ll want to have larger pieces to start off.
Add a little coconut oil to the pot, and heat it up on medium-high so that the meat sizzles when it hits the pot. Make sure to season the meat with salt and Cajun seasoning. My favorite pot to use for smothering meat is a coated cast-iron pot (dutch oven), like this one.
Let the meat form a griade at the bottom of the pot (as shown in photo below), and continue to stir it around to grill all sides of the meat. Cook until all sides of the meat are grilled thoroughly.
If the bottom of the pot starts to burn before the meat is cooked, just add a little water to the pot and use it to scrape the griade off of the bottom. This cooking process should take about 15 minutes.
Once all the water is cooked out and the meat is grilled on all sides, turn off the heat and add the onions, garlic, additional salt, and pepper.
Feel free to also add diced bell pepper. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t.
Pour the chicken broth over the meat and veggies, and give it a stir.
Cover both pots, and place into the oven at 350°F.
In about 20-30 minutes when the potatoes are hot and are getting soft, add the butter and coconut oil to the potatoes and give it a little stir so that the butter and oil melt.
At this time, also give your pork chops a little stir, and add butter to give it some extra rich flavor. Why do I use butter?
Cook another 30 minutes, or until the pork chops begin to flake and fall apart when pulled with a fork.
At this time, the potatoes should also be completely cooked and ready to serve! Top with fresh parsley if you’d like, and make it pretty!
I like to serve this meal with a side of fresh veggies mixed with my homemade Cajun-Italian dressing. Mais, Ça c’est bon!
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Ingredients
- 5 lbs Potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1" cubes
- 2 lbs Pork Chops, boneless, chopped into 3 inch pieces
- 3 TBsp Coconut Oil (flavorless), divided
- 3 Medium-Large Onions, diced
- 4 Garlic cloves, minced
- 2 TBsp Cajun Seasoning, or more to taste
- 2 TBsp Salt, or more to taste
- Freshly-cracked Pepper, to taste
- 3 cups Chicken Broth
- 3/4 cup Real Butter (1 1/2 sticks), divided
Instructions
- Place the Potatoes, 1 Large diced Onion, and 2 cloves minced Garlic into Large, oven-safe pot or casserole dish. Season with 1 TBsp Cajun seasoning, about 1 TBsp salt, and pepper. Mix, and set aside.
- In a separate pot, heat to medium-high heat with about 1 TBsp Coconut Oil, and add Pork seasoned with 1 TBsp or more Cajun seasoning. Let the Pork cook until it is grilled thoroughly on all sides and has created a brown sediment on the bottom of the pot (about 15 minutes).
- If necessary, add a little water to the pot to scrape off the sediment. Once water is cooked out, add the rest of the diced Onion (about 2 onions), 2 cloves minced Garlic, and additional salt and pepper.
- Pour Chicken Broth over the pork and veggies and give it a stir.
- Cover both pots (potatoes and pork) and place into 350° oven to cook for about 1 hour.
- Halfway through, when the potatoes are hot (about 30 minutes), add 1/2 cup Butter (1 stick) and 1-2 TBsp Coconut Oil to the Potatoes and stir to melt. Also add 1/4 cup Butter (1/2 stick) to the Pork and stir.
- Cook for 30 more minutes, or until the Pork falls apart when poked with a fork, and Potatoes are tender and mashed when stirred.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, optional.
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