Pork Chop Suey

Chinese Chop Suey made with pork. I've cooked this for the past 45 years...and it's at it's best the following day. My Mom made it this way...so you can figure the recipe is a good 70 years old. Guess that's considered "antique" :) It freezes well, without losing flavor.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 5 -6  pork steaks
• 1  yellow onion
• 3  stalks celery
• 8 -10  fresh white mushrooms (or 2 small cans of stems and pieces)
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 2 (14 ounce) cans bean sprouts, undrained
• 4  tablespoons molasses
• 1⁄3 cup soy sauce
• 1 (14 ounce) can Swanson chicken broth
• 1⁄2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

1. If you have a pressure cooker, it does wonders in tenderizing the pork.
2. Cut pork into 1/2 inch cubes.
3. Slice celery thin on diagonal.
4. Slice onion into long slivers.
5. Slice mushrooms into small hunks.
6. Open cans of broth and bean sprouts.
7. Mix corn starch into water.
8. Heat oil in deep pan (pressure cooker or dutch oven), add butter and heat until it begins to bubble.
9. Add pork cubes; don't stir for approximately 2 minutes to permit the pork to brown.
10. Stir and add onion, celery, then mushrooms.
11. Sprinkle in white pepper.
12. Let cook over medium heat, stirring often, until celery and onion slivers are tender.
13. Add chicken broth, soy sauce and bean sprouts.
14. Now add the molassas, and stir.
15. Taste for proper balance of sweet and salt flavor, adding more soy sauce or more molassas to balance flavor.
16. Cover pot and simmer for at least an hour.
17. If using pressure cooker, bring up to slow rocking pressure, and cook for 10 minutes.
18. Let cool on its own, then remove cover and let simmer slowly for about 20 minutes.
19. When pork is totally tender, and you have the proper sweet/salt flavor, mix corn starch into water and add to pot.
20. Bring up heat just to the boil while stirring.
21. Lower heat and let "cook" for about 15 minutes.
22. Serve over long grain rice: 1 cup rice, 2 cups water, pinch of salt; bring to boil then cover and set on lowest heat setting for 25 minutes.
23. I've made this chop suey for the past 45 years (yes, I'm an"older gal":).
24. The chop suey freezes well.
25. Enjoy!