Smothered Pork Chops

INGREDIENTS:

2       tb  Butter
   2       tb   Flour
   1 1/2   cup Rich beef broth
   Pinch    Sage leaves, crumbled
   6     Thick loin pork chops
   1       cup  Flour for dredging
   Salt and pepper, to taste
   1/2   cup Lard
   3       lg Onions, sliced
   3        Cloves garlic, minced
   1/4   cup Celery, minced
  
  1.  In a small saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat, stir in the 2 tablespoons flour, and cook,
stirring constantly with a wire  whisk, until lightly browned.  Stir in broth and sage, mix well,  remove
from heat, and set aside.  This mixture will be the sauce.
  
  2.  Add salt and pepper to the 1 cup flour; dredge chops in the  mixture. In a large, heavy skillet heat
1/4 cup of the lard over medium- high heat. Add chops and cook until they are browned.  Move
browned chops to a large, oven proof casserole with a cover.  Preheat   oven to 350¼ F.
  
  3.  Melt the remaining lard in skillet over high heat.  Add onions,  garlic, and celery; lower heat to
medium, and cook, stirring   frequently to avoid burning, until onions are golden (about 8 to 10
minutes). Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and place over chops  in the casserole.
  
  4.  Pour off all lard from the skillet.  Add reserved sauce, raise  heat to high, bring to a boil, and cook
for 1 minute, stirring vigorously and scraping the bottom of the skillet.  Pour sauce over chops in
casserole, cover, and bake for 30 minutes.  Serve with mashed potatoes.