Pan Fried Pork Chops

Ah, the joys of having unfettered control of my kitchen and the annoyances thereof. Madam BadWolf is on TDY as the grandmother, and I am left to fend for myself.

I had planned a pan-fried steak, fries, and salad, sided by a double of bourbon. I pulled the steak and allowed it to come to room temperature, only to find I had pulled a pack of pork chops. The motto of the story is when life gives you pork chops, make pork chops.

Normally, I’d coat these in seasoned panko and bake in the oven, but not being able to find the panko, I took a step back and lightly coated these in seasoned flour. AP flour and my cajun seasoning.

From my less-than-spousally approved breakfast, I had bacon drippings left, so in lieu of the standard neutral oil, I’ll use those as a component of my cooking fat. These are shallow pan-fried; not a lot of fat is required, basically just enough to keep contact between the meat and the hot pan.

I cook these to 145, and yes, my mother would have cooked these to 165. That is your choice, but I prefer meat that is somewhat tender and juicy, not shoe leather. I will note that NO PINK MEAT should be allowed here; these are pork, not beef. Do see: Cooking Meat? Check the New Recommended Temperatures

From Wikipedia:

Pan frying or pan-frying is a form of frying food characterized by the use of minimal cooking oil or fat (compared to shallow frying or deep frying), typically using just enough to lubricate the pan. In the case of a greasy food such as bacon, no oil or fats may need to be added. As a form of frying, the technique relies on oil or fat as the heat transfer medium, and on correct temperature and time to not overcook or burn the food. Pan frying can serve to retain the moisture in foods such as meat and seafood. The food is typically flipped at least once to ensure that both sides are cooked properly.

Pan frying takes place at lower heat than sautéing. This is because the food to be pan fried – such as chicken breasts, steak, pork chops, or fish fillets – is not cut into small pieces before cooking. It requires a lower heat so that the exterior of the food does not overcook by the time the interior reaches the proper temperature, and to keep foods in a moister state. However, the oil should always be hot enough to ensure that the moisture in the food can escape in the form of steam; the force of the steam escaping keeps the oil from soaking into the food. The same amount of oil is used as for sautéing – just enough to glaze the pan.

Generally, a shallower cooking vessel is used for pan frying than for deep frying; however, using a deep pan with a small amount of oil, butter or bacon grease does reduce spatter. A denser cooking vessel is better than a less dense pan because the added mass will improve temperature regulation. An electric skillet can be used analogously to an electric deep fryer, and many of these devices have a thermostat to keep the liquid (in this case, oil) at the desired temperature.

Foods to be pan fried are sometimes covered with a batter or breading. Batters consist of dried ingredients such as flour or cornstarch in conjunction with liquids such as milk, water or other beverages. Breading can be as simple as dusting the food in flour or, more commonly, what is called the “standard breading procedure”, which involves first dusting the food in flour (taking care to shake off the excess), then dipping it in beaten eggs, and finally putting it into bread crumbs (or some other form of outer coating). The food is seasoned with salt and pepper prior to applying any coating. Allowing the food to rest for 15–30 minutes before frying but after applying the breading enables the coating to stick to the food with greater tenacity.

Pan Fried Pork Chops

Simple, quick, easy weeknight dinner

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Resting time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2

Calories 474 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning Fromhttps://www.roguechef.com/?p=3239
• 1/2 cup AP Flour
• 2 ea Pork Chops Bone in
• 3 tbsp neutral oil I also use bacon drippings for this
• 2 tbsp Butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops
• Combine the flour and cajun seasoning
• Dredge the chops in the seasoned flour, and rest for 15-30 minutes to allow the flour to set.
• In a heavy skillet, over medium heat, bring the fat and butter to temp; test by dropping a pinch of flour in.
• Give the chops a shake to remove loose flour
• Add the chops, and cook for 5 minutes on the first side, should be golden brown and delecious
• Turn and cook for 5 minutes more; check the temperature, 145 is the recommended internal temperature
• Serve hot with a slice of lemon, and side with fries.

Notes

Just a quick meal for two or a generous he-man dinner for one.

One can rest the chops for a few minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute. And use this time to create a pan sauce for a side dish.  This goes well over potatoes (mashed as well as fried) or freshly baked bread, rolls, or biscuits.

Nutrition

Calories: 474kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 5gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 527mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1335IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Fried, Pork

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