This simple baked pork chop supper is the kind of practical, old-fashioned meal that stretches a small grocery budget while still feeling hearty and comforting. Pork chops bake gently over canned beets and onion, and as everything cooks together, the beet juices stain the onions a rich red and help keep the meat tender. It is a humble combination with a distinctly Midwestern thriftiness to it, and the finished dish has that cozy sweet-savory flavor that makes sense on a cool fall evening.
Serve these pork chops with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or plain rice to catch the rosy pan juices. A side of green beans, cabbage, or a crisp cucumber salad balances the sweetness of the beets nicely, and a slice of rye bread or dinner rolls rounds the meal out well.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Pork Chops with Canned Beets and Onion
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 bone-in pork chops, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick
2 cans sliced beets, 15 ounces each, with their juice
1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste if needed
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or a similar white enamel casserole dish.
2. Spread the sliced beets with all of their juice into the baking dish, then scatter the onion wedges over the top. Sprinkle with about half of the salt.
3. Season the pork chops on both sides with the remaining salt, then nestle them on top of the beets and onions in a single layer.
4. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, spoon some of the beet juices over the pork chops, and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes more, until the chops are tender and cooked through.
5. For a little more color, place the dish under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes at the end, watching carefully. Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before serving with the beets, onions, and pan juices spooned over the top.
Variations & Tips
Add black pepper: If you do not need to keep this strictly to four ingredients, a generous scattering of black pepper on the pork adds a little bite and helps balance the sweetness of the beets.
Use boneless chops carefully: Boneless pork chops work, but they cook faster and can dry out more easily. Start checking them about 10 minutes earlier during the uncovered baking time.
Slice the onion thickly: Thick wedges hold up best during the long bake and turn soft and sweet without disappearing into the pan juices.
Choose plain canned beets: Use canned sliced beets packed in their own juice rather than pickled beets. Pickled beets will make the dish much sharper and more vinegary than intended.
Make it a one-pan supper: To stretch the meal further, serve the pork chops and beets over hot potatoes, noodles, or rice so none of the red cooking liquid goes to waste.