Stroganoff was probably created for Count Pavel Alexandrovich Stroganov, back in the 19th century by his chef, but now has many variations to reflect it's solid popularity around the world.  This recipe is a brilliant take on the classic.  An irresistible combination of bone-in pork chops, sour cream, and seasonings, you can fix this in the morning and spend the rest of the day drumming your fingers and waiting for dinner time.  

Don't be tempted to skip the browning step.  It only takes a couple of minutes, but it makes such a difference to the flavor of the meat.  Try not to move the pork chops too much while browning in the pan, as the odd caramelized patch on the meat or fat is no bad thing, flavor-wise.  

4 large bone-in rib pork chops
1 tbs butter
8 oz sliced mushrooms 
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope pork gravy mix
½ cup water
⅓ cup sour cream

1.  Combine the soup and gravy mix in a bowl, add to the slow cooker and place the mushrooms on top.

2.  Melt the butter in a large skillet and brown the pork chops on both sides, in two batches if necessary, before placing in the slow cooker on top of the mushrooms.

3.  Deglaze the skillet using the water, scraping up any meaty or fatty cooked-on bits from the pan using a wooden spatula and pour the contents of the skillet over the pork chops before covering and cooking on low for 6 - 8 hours. 

4.  Remove the pork chops and stir the sour cream through the mushroom gravy until smooth, then pour over the chops and serve with steamed rice.

A handful of chopped curly or flat-leaf parsley stirred in with the sour cream will add a fresh, herby note that works well with the creamy sauce.   A dash of cognac, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard or half a teaspoon of smoked paprika would all be excellent additions at the start of cooking.

Try serving with crisply fried potato straws for an authentic Russian accompaniment that Count Stroganov himself would approve of !  

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