Beer mustard Marinade:

Mix the mustard and beer together well to form a thin paste. Let stand for at least 10 minutes for heat and flavor to develop. Due to the carbonation in the beer, a head will form, so stir it occasionally during this time. The longer the mustard paste stands at room temperature, the milder it will become. After 10 minutes, it will be strong and spicy (the way I like it), but it will mellow significantly within an hour or two if you prefer it mild. Chops: 2 extra thick pork chops (about 3/4 lb each) 1 bottle beer (again, see footnote) 4 slices bacon 1 medium onion, sliced (if desired) Lightly tenderize the pork chops, then use a sharp knife to make shallow incisions along the length of the chops. This will allow the mustard paste to sink into the meat better. Spread the paste over your chops and let them marinate in the fridge for at least an hour. Sprinkle them with white pepper first, if desired. Fry the bacon over medium-high heat in the cast iron skillet, turning until brown and crisp. Remove the bacon and set it aside. Let the bacon grease heat until it spits like crazy when you drip water on it. Preheat the oven to 350, then put the chops in the skillet and sear them until a dark, rich brown on both sides. Add the onions and saute until they are a nice, light brown. Pour in just enough beer to cover the bottom of the skillet. It should spit like hell and boil off immediately. Let things heat up again for a minute or so, and then do it again, just for fun ;) Turn the heat down to medium, and add enough beer to almost cover the chops. Bring it to a boil and let it bubble for a couple minutes, then cover it and place it in the oven. Let it cook for about half an hour, turning every ten minutes or so. You probably only need to bake it for 15 or 20 minutes, but I was raised to cook the hell out of pork. When you take the chops out of the oven, you can reduce the liquid by about half, add flour or cornstarch to thicken, and then use it for gravy if you're a gravy person (I'm not). And don't worry, the gravy doesn't taste too mustardy, although it's certainly not traditional-tasting. I usually garnish the chops with the onions and bacon (crumbled) and serve them with mashed potatoes and buttered green beans or succotash. Variation - Chicken-fried pork chops or steak: Make a double portion of the mustard paste detailed above. Smear two well-tenderized chops or steaks with half the paste and marinate for an hour or more. Coat thoroughly with the remaining mustard paste before the first dredge in flour or cornstarch. I won't post a chicken-fried steak recipe here, since I just use the ones from the archives anyway. The mustard stays pasty on the inside, and adds a pleasant little mouth-puckering bite to the dish. Finally, about the beer: The beer is there to impart flavor, so don't use Budweiser or any generic lager or pilsner, since they have so little. Locally-brewed beers are generally fresher and more flavorful than their mass-produced cousins, so try to stick with them. I recommend a dark, robust bock or doppelbock, although a stout or a dark red will work okay too. Stay away from anything with honey in it, as the fermentation drastically alters the flavor of the honey, and you will _not_ wind up with a pleasant honey-mustard taste like you might think. Enjoy!