Debra Tardieff’s French-cut pork chop is best served with a heaping scoop of dressing. (Provided by The Magnolia Room)
This week, we’re bringing you the recipe for the French-cut pork chops and gravy from The Magnolia Room in Tucker. We’re also introducing you to the restaurant’s kitchen manager, Debra Tardieff, who brought a taste of Louisiana to metro Atlanta when she moved here last year.
Tardieff has 16 grandchildren and step-grandchildren, but says her daughter’s dog might take that 17th spot. Originally from Louisiana, Tardieff has worked in the restaurant industry her entire life and moved to Atlanta from Louisiana last October to take a job at The Magnolia Room.
Tardieff learned how to cook from her grandmother at age 9. She remembers standing on a chair and stirring the pot. The first recipe Tardieff learned was plain boiled rice. Over time, she worked her way through cakes, potato salad, and meats. Tardieff’s youngest son began expressing an interest in cooking around age 10, when she started to teach him the same fundamentals she learned from her grandmother. He now works as a sous chef in Louisiana.
When Tardieff goes home to Louisiana, she naturally expresses her love by cooking for her family. These days, though, she isn’t able to feed everyone with a single pot of rice. She has to use a big rice cooker and nearly 10 pounds of chicken to feed almost 20 people. “I never cook small,” she said.
Since moving to Atlanta, Tardieff has developed or improved a number of The Magnolia Room’s recipes. The Creole shrimp and grits, chicken pot pie, and chicken and dumplings are just a few examples. Tardieff added the French-style pork chop to The Magnolia Room’s menu this fall, getting the idea while vacationing in Las Vegas.
“I [thought] this one would be really good for the store,” she said. “So I brought it back and played with it a little bit — different sizes, different weights — and we went with the 8-ounce [chop] that’s thinner. That way it won’t overcook.”
More recipes from the Rough Draft archives
The recipe starts with a few minutes in the broiler, which cooks the outside first to keep the pork chop’s juices contained. If it helps, think of a pork chop like a steak that’s seared and then baked. Remember, with pork chops, the longer the meat stays in the oven, the more it will dry out.
You’ll need to visit a butcher for French-cut pork chops, as they’re typically not sold in grocery stores. Although it’s not necessary, Tardieff recommends Your Dekalb Farmers Market for fresh ingredients. “I recently went and got granulated onion,” she said. “The more fresh stuff you have, the better.”
If you’re closer to Tucker, however, try Sherry’s Produce at the corner of Lawrenceville Highway and Brockett Road.
Ingredients
Pork chop
4 8-ounce French-cut pork chops
4 tsp Cajun seasoning blend
4 tsp garlic salt
Gravy
Yields 4 cups
4 cups hot beef stock
1/8 Tbsp salt
1/8 Tbsp black pepper
1/8 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 pound onions, chopped (about half a small onion)
1/8 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning sauce
1/8 Tbsp sugar
Directions
Prepare the broiler: Set your oven’s broiler on high and grease it.
Prepare the pork chops: Season the pork chops with Cajun blend and garlic powder., using one teaspoon of each seasoning per chop. Broil for 2 minutes on each side. Cook in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 more minutes.
Start the gravy: Boil beef stock in a pot. Season with salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Add sugar and Kitchen Bouquet.
In a separate pan, cook chopped onions until clear. Stir into brown gravy.
Transfer gravy and pork chops to a half pan or serving dish.
Serve each chop with 1 cup of gravy.
You can read more from Sarra’s interviews with the “Grandmas of Atlanta” on Substack. Rough Draft will publish one recipe a month from “Grandmas of Atlanta.” Know a grandmother with a stellar recipe to share? Send details to sarra@roughdraftatlanta.com.
Dining and Cooking