Crispy Pan-Fried Pork Chops

Editing this recipe is a  surreal moment for me since it’s the first time I’m doing such a familiar task with a baby in my arms. For those of you who follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you’ve already seen pictures of this sweet little guy. Life with a newborn baby will certainly be different than life as two adults, but we’ve been getting ready for this day for years and are definitely eager for this new chapter in our life to begin.

The recipe I’m sharing with you today is perfect, since it’s a delicious family favorite and quick to prepare. Even though I’d rather play and cuddle with the baby all day, I still want to cook homemade dinners for my family, and these Crispy Pan-Fried Pork Chops fit the bill. We just had them this week and everyone loved them. The crisp coating on the pork chops is super crunchy and the meat still juicy and succulent. Another favorite recipe from America’s Test Kitchen; these guys never disappoint.  I paired the Crispy Pork Chops with a baked potato and salad. This meal is the classic comfort of home.

Ingredients:

8 boneless, center-cut pork chops (3/4-1 inch thick, each)

salt, pepper

1 cup buttermilk

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

2/3 cup cornstarch

3 cups corn flakes

oil, for pan frying

Blot the pork chops dry with paper towels. Trim the pork chops and score them very lightly with a small paring knife, with a few diagonal slashes across surface of each pork chop. These shallow slashes will help the coating to adhere better to the meat. (As you can see in the second picture,  the pork chops on the right are the trimmed ones.)

Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Prepare your breading station by mixing the buttermilk, mustard and garlic in a shallow dish. Place 1/3 cup of the cornstarch in another shallow dish. Pulse the corn flakes with the remaining 1/3 cup of cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper in a food processor until very finely ground.

Place this mixture into another shallow dish.

Dredge each pork chop in the cornstarch. Pat the excess cornstarch off. Next, dip the pork chop in the buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip off. Lastly, dredge the pork  chop in the corn flakes.

Place the breaded pork chops on a baking sheet and allow them to rest for about 10 minutes. This will allow the breading to dry and adhere better once again. Heat a generous amount of oil in a nonstick skillet. Fry the pork chops on medium to medium high heat, until golden and crisp on both sides, 3-5 minutes per side.

Allow the pork chops to drain on a paper towel for 30 seconds only and then place them on a cooling rack. If you leave the pork chops on top of the paper towels, they will become soggy. If you’re not going to be eating the pork chops right away and want to keep the first pork chops warm while you fry the rest of them, you can keep them in a 200 degrees Fahrenheit oven. Just make sure that the pork chops are on a rack, not directly on the baking sheet, or the breading will become soggy. These pork chops were absolutely perfect paired with a baked potato. If you’re interested in the recipe, just follow the instructions for my Twice Baked Potatoes. I kept it simple this time and didn’t stuff them, but you certainly can:).