Anyone who grew up in the South (or most anywhere in the United States) knows that black-eyed peas are a staple of the New Year's supper because they bring good luck. I used to think that cornbread, collards and ham or pork chops were served with the requisite black-eyed peas simply because the combination is so delicious. But I was recently enlightened by a friend who told me that all the foods served at a Southern New Year's Supper are symbolic. 

Black eyed peas are meant to symbolize wealth.

Collards or other leafy greens symbolize health and prosperity

Cornbread symbolizes gold

Pork symbolizes progress or movement forward, just like the pig who roots in a forward motion.

I've never shared my mother's fabulous recipe for slow-cooked pork chops (A) because it isn't the most complex or refined dish and (B) because, like most old Southern recipes, it contains ingredients like Lipton's onion soup mix (high in sodium, delicious in taste) that might not pass muster with the health nuts out there.

Now that I know pork chops are a necessary component of any good-luck New Year's supper, I'll share Mama's recipe and leave it to the healthy cooks to modify or add an extra serving of collards to their plates.

Mary Mack's Slow Cooked Southern Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 Thick-cut pork chops with bone (The bone is very important as it adds flavor and tenderness.)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 2 packages of dry Lipton Onion soup
• one yellow onion quartered
• 1 32 oz box of low sodium chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the over to 350 degrees

• Dredge the pork chops in a mixture of flour, salt and pepper

• Heat olive oil in a Dutch Oven and sear the pork chops until evenly browned

• Remove the pork chops from the pan

• Deglaze the pan with the 8 oz of chicken broth then stir in the 2 packages of onion soup mix

• Heat until boiling

• Reduce the heat and add the pork chops and quartered onion to the Dutch oven

• Add additional chicken broth until pork chops are covered in liquid. (This recipe will braise the pork chops)

• Add salt and pepper to taste but not too much salt

• Heat the pot to a roiling boil then reduce heat

• Place Dutch oven in the heated oven and bake for 1 hour or until meat is tender and falling from the bone

• Serve with your choice of New Year's side dishes or, for a school night, with homemade mashed potatoes and haricots verts.