Breaded Pork Chops

My mother, and my various aunts, all seemed to make outstanding breaded pork chops. I recall that they used thin cut chops and make piles of them. I can remember eating six or seven at a time as a teenager. They were especially succulent because nobody bothered to remove the fat. It simply hid under the bread crumbs.

Before getting to the recipe, I have to tell you that all pork chops are not created equal. There are three principal pork chop cuts. The boneless pork chop, the rib cut pork chop and the loin cut pork chop. Let’s review the boneless chop first. Evidently boneless chops are made for people in a hurry because a piece of meat without a bone will cook more quickly. But there are two problems with this. First, you don’t want to cook pork chops quickly. They lose whatever moisture they had and they get tough. Second, you shouldn’t be using rib cut pork shops in the first place. The pork chop of choice is the loin cut pork chop. Visually, the difference between the two is that the loin cut chop looks somewhat like a small version of a T-bone steak. That is, there is a T-shaped bone (see photo above) with meat on each side. The smaller part is the tenderloin, which, as the name implies, is tender.

The secrets to good breaded chops, I think, are 1.) breading them twice, as explained below, and 2.) browning the chops and then slow cooking over a low heat.

Serves 4

4 loin cut pork chops, all fat removed.
Bread crumbs, plain
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Thyme
Salt
Pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Water

Mix three eggs in a bowl. Sprinkle one side of each pork chop with the five spices (think “moderate”). Use your judgment regarding relative quantities. Dredge each chop, seasoned face down, in bread crumbs. Sprinkle naked side of chop with the five spices, turn and dredge in bread crumbs, including edges.

With plenty of bread crumbs waiting, hold one chop by thick part of the T- bone and, dunk it in the eggs just long enough to coat it. Turn over, if necessary. Place in breadcrumbs, turn it over and on its’ edges to thoroughly and uniformly coat again.

Heat three tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over a moderately high heat. Arrange the chops in the skillet and brown. Flip to brown the other side. Reduce heat to low, add ¼” cup of water and cover. Cook for 1 hour. Add water to keep moist and to keep from burning.

Serve on warmed plate with potatoes, carrots and a green vegetable.