French onion soup is one of my favorite cold-weather comfort foods. These pork chops transform everything I love about the classic into a hearty skillet dinner. The chops are nestled in a rich, savory gravy loaded with deeply caramelized onions, fresh thyme, a splash of dry sherry, and plenty of beefy flavor. A blanket of nutty Gruyere is the finishing touch, which is browned under the broiler just before serving.

The onions take a little time to reach their golden, jammy best, but the payoff is enormous. Best of all, everything comes together in a single skillet. Serve the pork chops with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to catch every last bit of gravy.

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French Onion Pork Chops

Serves 4

4 (about 1-inch-thick) boneless pork loin chops (6 to 8 ounces each)

1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds yellow onions (2 large), thinly sliced (5 cups)

3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 teaspoon beef bouillon paste or beef stock concentrate (optional)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)

1. Arrange an oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler element and heat the oven to broil. Pat four boneless pork chops dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork chops and sear until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate (the pork will not be cooked through)

3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced yellow onions, three fresh thyme sprigs, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply golden-brown and very soft, 20 to 25 minutes. If the pan begins to scorch, add a splash of water and continue cooking.

4. Add two minced garlic cloves and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Pour in 1/4 cup dry sherry and cook, scraping the bottom of the skillet, until almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute.

5. Stir in 1 1/2 cups beef broth, 1 teaspoon beef bouillon paste if using, and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the gravy is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs.

6. Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices to the skillet, nesting them into the gravy. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, flipping the pork occasionally, until the pork chops register at least 140ºF in the thickest part, 3 to 6 minutes.

7. Remove the skillet from the heat. Taste the sauce and season with more kosher salt as needed. Spoon some of the onions over each pork chop. Sprinkle 4 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese evenly over the pork.

8. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil until the cheese is melted, bubbling and browned in spots, 1 to 3 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and a few grinds of black pepper.

(Olwen Phillips is a contributor to TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)

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