Da Mister's Breaded Pork Chops

One of my all-time favorite is The Mister's breaded pork chops. Thin cut, juicy pork chops fried to perfection. When he makes this dish, I make sure I stay out of the kitchen to let him do that voodoo that he do(es) so well. I've only helped with this recipe a couple of times but soon realized that it was best to just stay the hell out of his way and not mess with his OODA loop if I want my pork chops.


The recipe is similar to other recipes except that the chops are dredged in flour and bread crumbs separately. Many of the recipes out there calls for combining of flour and bread crumbs. Some only call for bread crumbs. But I believe The Mister's method (IMHO) creates the best crust I've ever had. Also, using thin-cut pork chops eliminates the need to finish off in the oven after frying, ultimately requiring less time to cook and ensuring juicy chops! (Who wants to eat dry flavorless chops?)

I will try my best to convey his method and the amount of ingredients but like me, he likes to eye-ball things and adjust accordingly as things progress. The amount of flour and bread crumbs will need to be adjusted depending on how heavily you coat your chops and how large the chops are. The recipe can be halved but we like to have leftovers. These are thin-cut chops so 8 chops will feed about 3-4 people.

Ingredients:
8 thin-cut bone-in pork chops
All purpose flour (~2 1/2 cups)
Italian seasoned bread crumbs (~2 1/2 cups)
3-4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Oil for frying (he likes Canola oil)

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot (he uses a 7-quart Dutch oven), pour enough oil to come up the side of the pot about 1". Heat oil to 375 degrees F.

Dredge pork chop in flour, shaking off the excess. Dip the chop into egg and coat completely. Dredge chop into bread crumbs. Pat down gently on the bread crumbs to ensure coating is even. Set aside and repeat on remaining chops.

When oil reaches 375 degrees F, add breaded chops into the pot, making sure not to crowd the pot. He can usually get 3 fairly good size chops in our 7-quarts DO. The oil temperature will drop down to around 320-325 degrees (this will vary depending on the pot used), adjust the heat to keep the oil temperature around 320 degrees. Fry the chops until bottom is golden brown, about 6-7 minutes. Flip chops over and continue to fry until second side is golden brown, about another 4-5 minutes. The chops should register 160 degrees F when done. Make sure to check the meat near the bone since if any part of the chop will be undercooked, it will be near the bone. Remove chops to paper towels. Continue frying the rest of the chops. Serve hot. We usually have the chops with steamed sweet corn and stuffing. It would also go great with garlic mashed potatoes.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. Now go and eat well.