Unbelievably Primo Pork Chops and Gravy

Given to me by my best friend, Ronna, under threat of serious injury, this method, along with the use of boneless, thick-cut chops, qualify it as the best pork chop recipe I’ve ever had. No more dry, tough chops in MY house. Easily good enough for company. We always make it with Better Than Bouillon brand chicken stock concentrate, which is a paste in a jar, but you can use regular chicken stock/broth as well. Please read ingredient list carefully. It’s *either* stock concentrate AND water or prepared stock and NO water.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2  thick-cut boneless pork chops
• 2  teaspoons  chicken bouillon concentrate (Better Than Bouillon brand) or 2  cups  chicken stock
• 2  cups water (IMPORTANT! Use ONLY if making chicken stock from concentrate!)
• 1⁄2 cup vermouth or 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 1  teaspoon flour
• 1  tablespoon water
•  pepper, to taste
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil (not olive oil, it burns at high heat)

Directions

1. In a pot, warm the chicken broth (or chicken stock concentrate plus the 3 cups water) over medium heat.
2. Heat the oil on high. Trim the chops of excess fat and season with pepper.
3. Sear the pork chops in the (very) hot pan. Noisy work… a spatter guard helps here! Sear the chops on all sides including the edges (hold them with tongs edge-side-down). Put them on a plate, cover with foil and set aside.
4. Deglaze the pan with the vermouth or wine. Add the chicken stock from the pot, completing the deglazing. Now pour everything from the pan back into the pot. (Confused yet?).
5. Put the chops in the pot, reserving the foil that covered them. Check if the fluid level is high enough in the pot; it should be about 1/4 inch or less below the tops of the chops, but the chops should not be covered by the chicken stock.
6. Cover pot with lid. Let simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes. Flip the chops over and let simmer for another 20 minutes, checking every now and then to assure there's enough fluid left in the pot. If not, add a little more chicken stock.
7. Take the chops out of the pot and cover again with reserved foil. In a small bowl, mix the teaspoon of flour with a tablespoon of water until well-blended and whisk into the stock to thicken. Turn the heat to high and let cook, stirring occasionally, until the stock/gravy reduces slightly and thickens. This may take several minutes.
8. Plate the chops with mashed potatoes and introduce them both to that lucious gravy!