Pork Chops in Morel Mushroom Sauce

A simple dish of pork chops in morel mushroom sauce comes together in 30 minutes. If you have never had a morel mushroom recipe, you're in for a treat. Yes, they are expensive, but a little goes a long way. Their earthy and somewhat meaty taste is to die for.

Morel background

When I was in college my Swiss friend introduced me to morel mushrooms. I instantly fell in love with this flavorful, funky-looking fungus. She told me that when she was growing up in Switzerland she and her family would go morel mushroom hunting in the spring. A word of warning: if you live in an area where you can do this activity, take someone experienced with you because there are morel look-alikes that are poisonous. YIKES! A morel that is edible is hollow from tip to stem.  Read more about foraging for morel mushrooms and similar non-edible type mushrooms at Mushroom Appreciation.  Keep fresh morel mushrooms in a breathable bag or paper bag to prevent mold. Do not store them in a plastic bag or they can spoil easily. Give them a good rinse before cooking to remove any dirt or insects.  Morels are easily dehydrated using a mesh screen and fan or a standard dehydrator.

A couple of years ago one of my coworkers had a bumper crop of morels right in his backyard! It just so happens that on that particular year we had a really wet spring, which contributed to the morel excess. He also happened to have a dying elm tree in his yard. Those two factors made the morels grow "wild", no pun intended. Although it would be my dream, morels are a wild mushroom and can't be cultivated because they depend on the terrain, and vegetation around them to flourish. Dried morel mushrooms are available at most grocery stores and online.  They will require rehydrating before using them in a recipe.  I have more instructions on that in the recipe below.

Pork chops in mushroom sauce is a comforting and delicious recipe you can serve any time of year. I had to prepare this dish with the sauce on the side because my son doesn't really care for mushrooms. Oh well, most definitely his loss, more for me. I ADORE mushrooms. If you feel that morels are just too expensive, you can use porcini mushrooms which also have a rich and earthy flavor.

Pork chops in morel mushroom sauce can be made in about 30 minutes, A HUGE plus in my book. Its  versatile enough for a quick weeknight, or a leisurely Sunday meal with family and friends. 

Pork cooking tips:

If you like your pork medium rare, you should cook it to an internal temperature of 145°F, followed by a 3 minute rest. If you prefer it to be a bit more done, then cook to an internal temperature of 160°F, followed by a 3 minute rest period.

Dressing your pork chops with a delicious creamy pan sauce makes a huge difference, without spending a lot of extra time or effort. For this recipe, I used white wine to deglaze the pan, all those little bits that are left over after cooking the chops are full of flavor. Whisk until the sauce begins to thicken. 

Step by step photos:

1. Gather all your ingredients and have them measured, chopped and ready to go. Pre-soak dried morels for 15-20 minutes in warm water to rehydrate. Pat them dry once they are soft and cut into 2 or 3 pieces.
2. Mix together the flour, salt and pepper in a pie plate. Dredge the pork chops in the four mixture until they are coated and set aside.
3. Heat the oil on medium-high heat and brown the pork chops on both sides then keep warm in the oven on a platter.
4. Turn the heat down to medium and sauté the shallots unit translucent.
5. Slowly add the white wine to deglaze the pan and be sure to whisk up all the brown bit from the pan.
6. Pour in the cream to the pan then whisk to combine.
7. Add the nutmeg and then the mushrooms and whisk continuously until thick.
8. You can check the thickness for nappe consistency when it coats the back of a spoon when wiped.

Frequently asked questions:

• Can I freeze the pork chops? Yes, the cooked pork chops can be frozen once they are completely cooled. Seal then tightly in freeze paper or foil in an airtight container and they will store nicely for 2-3 months.
• Can I store the morel mushroom cream sauce? Yes, the sauce will keep nicely in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• Can I freeze the cream sauce? Since the sauce contains dairy it is not recommended to freeze as it will split and have a grainy texture when thawed.
• How do I reheat the chops and sauce? Reheat the chops in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and stop to check every 30-45 seconds until hot. You can microwave the sauce the same way and stop to stir the sauce every 30-45 seconds until hot. Once reheated do not cool and store again in the refrigerator, consume it right away. So only reheat the amount you will consume.

Need a side to go with your meal? Try Mediterranean Parsley Salad. 

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Pork Chops in Morel Mushroom Sauce Recipe Card

Sweet, creamy and delicious one pan pork chops in morel mushroom sauce. A simple pan sauce  brings an exotic meal to the table in less than 30 minutes. 

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main dish

Cuisine: French

Keyword: chops, cream sauce, gravy, mushroom sauce, nappe, pan sauce, pork

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 342kcal

Author: Analida Braeger

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless pork chops
• ½ cup flour for dredging
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 6 morel mushrooms dried
• 1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp shallots chopped
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 dash nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp curly parsley chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Place dried morel mushrooms in a bowl with warm water. Soak for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until soft. Cut into two or three pieces.
• In a pie dish mix four, salt and pepper. Dredge individual pork chops on both sides and set them aside.
• Heat oil in a skillet on medium-high heat and brown pork chops quickly on both sides. Remove from pan and keep warm in the oven.
• Turn down the heat to medium. Add the shallots to the same pan and sauté until they are translucent. Slowly add the wine to deglaze the pan. Stir in the cream, mushrooms, and nutmeg and cook for about 5 minutes until the cream begins to thicken.
• Pour sauce into a bowl, and serve with pork chops. Sprinkle the chops with parsley.

Notes

Frequently asked questions:

• Can I freeze the pork chops? Yes, the cooked pork chops can be frozen once they are completely cooled. Seal then tightly in freeze paper or foil in an airtight container and they will store nicely for 2-3 months.
• Can I store the morel mushroom cream sauce? Yes, the sauce will keep nicely in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• Can I freeze the cream sauce? Since the sauce contains dairy it is not recommended to freeze as it will split and have a grainy texture when thawed.
• How do I reheat the chops and sauce? Reheat the chops in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and stop to check every 30-45 seconds until hot. You can microwave the sauce the same way and stop to stir the sauce every 30-45 seconds until hot. Once reheated do not cool and store again in the refrigerator, consume it right away. So only reheat the amount you will consume.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 668mg | Potassium: 697mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 398IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 3mg

Originally published October 2016 and updated June 2020.