Confession: I grew up hating pork chops. I never ordered them at any restaurants because I thought I knew what they tasted like and I thought I hated them. Why would a good southern gal like myself have a disdain for pork chops? After all, I really loved everything else I’d had that came from a pig. I don’t want to criticize my mama’s cookin’ but… She was always very health conscious. I know now there’s not really a tasty and healthy way to cook pork chops, but bless her heart she tried. Mama made them in a pan on the stove top smothered in mushroom soup and cooked to well done. They made my jaw sore chewing. I thought I hated pork chops.
Salvation on Sand Mountain
In undergrad I traveled with a disaster response crew from the mountains of northeast Alabama. In 2000 I stayed with them at their home. The first Sunday there we had a big lunch with lots of friends, family, and crew. The women were all in the kitchen, some preparing food and others just chatting. I saw pork chops on the counter and felt disappointed. I watched as the matriarch, LaRenda, battered and fried and salted a pile of pork chops almost as big as the mountain. I had never had southern fried pork chops. My first bite melted in my mouth. It was delicious. I loved it, I loved pork chops!
Ingredients:
- boneless center cut pork chops
- flour
- House of Autry breading
- Lowry’s Season Salt
- black pepper
- sea salt or Himalayan salt
- large grade a brown eggs
- whole milk or butter milk
- vegetable oil
How To:
This is pretty much the way I fry lots of things with just slight variations. I am grateful to LaRenda and Michelle for teaching me how to make southern fried food.
Make your dredge; crack and scramble eggs in a medium bowl, stir in milk. Next, make your dry mix; in a separate large bowl add flour, breading, season salt, and pepper and stir until mixed.
Fork your pork. Beat your meat. Tenderize in your preferred method.
Soak chops in dredge. Pull out one pork chop from the dredge and drop it in your dry mix. Flip it and dust it to make sure its covered. Set aside on a large platter. After all are breaded sprinkle with pepper and season salt and refridgerate.
Heat up some grease. I use vegetable oil. About a half inch to an inch in a large pan heated to medium high. Carefully drop in your chops, oil should be enough to just cover the meat. When the top of the chop is golden flip it and let it cook a bit more then with care, take them out and place them on paper to soak excess oil. Sprinkle with unseasoned salt, I like the pink stuff.
Ratios:
Pick good pork. For every four chops you’ll need about two cups of dry mix. The dry mix is half flour and half House of Autry, with about a table spoon of Lowry’s and a teaspoon of pepper for every two cups of mix. For four chops you’d need two large eggs and a half cup of milk.
Serving Suggestions:
Traditionally served with green beans, collards greens, and black eyed peas, and don’t forget the cornbread. At our house we have buttery rice and pinto beans with our pork chops, and I love a little hot sauce.
My Crazy Kitchen 