When I’ve had a rough day, I crave food that gives me comfort. Being from the South, my comfort food is considerably better than pizza or ice cream. 

Fried Pork Chops, Rice with Homemade Milk Gravy and Black Eye Peas

What you need:

• Four breakfast pork chops, bone in
• Flour
• Milk
• Canola oil, enough to fill halfway up the sides of a skillet
• 1/2 cup rice
• 1 cup water
• 2 15-ounce cans black eye peas
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste

For the gravy:

• Grease from the pork chops, about 3-4 tablespoons 
• 2 heaping tablespoons flour
• Milk, enough to fill halfway up the side of a skillet
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oil over medium high heat. Pour milk into a bowl and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Pour flour onto a plate and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. 

Soak the pork chops in the milk mixture. Then, dredge the chops through the seasoned flour. 

Fry until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes on each side. 

Cook rice according to package directions. I used Riceland Extea Long Grain White Rice because it’s grown in Arkansas. My hometown to be exact. 

Open the cans of peas, and heat over medium heat in a pan on the stove. I like to add lots of pepper. 

Once the pork chops are cooked, remove any excess grease. Keep some grease with the pork chop bits, and add two heaping tablespoons of flour. Stir vigorously. 

The flour will take on a deep brown color and become creamy. This will cook off the flour taste. 

Pour milk into the flour mixture, enough to fill halfway the side of the skillet. Turn the heat to low. And stir constantly until the gravy thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Gravy is difficult to make, but you can master it. The key is low heat, constant stirring and good, flavorful grease. 

I’ve made it so many times I don’t measure anything. So if these measurements are off a little bit, that’s why. 

There is nothing better than a plate of Southern comfort food. This recipe was a staple in my mom’s kitchen, and I have many fond memories of watching her cook. 

It felt good to channel my mom in my own kitchen and know the legacy of her pork chops and gravy will live on every time I make it. 

Who knows? Maybe she will start letting me make it for her so she can relax for a change.

What is your go-to comfort food?