Here Piggy Piggy

Pork Chops. Growing up I dreaded hearing that's what my mother was preparing for dinner. They were dry. They were tough. And they were tasteless (sorry mom).  Now that I am the Mama I realize that "the other white meat" can be my friend. So here is how I like to cook my pork chops. They are juicy. They are tender. And they are very tasty.

A quick note on meat. When possible we try to use organic or all natural meats. It's not that we are enviro-conscious--I've had some health issues that make me fearful of eating added hormones. That being said, I have found since switching that much of the organic meat does tend to be juicier and have more flavor. Since I only cook for 3 people nightly, it is affordable for us to buy the pricier meats. But I realize that for many people, organic is not an option and neither my mother nor grandmother ever thought of using it in their cooking. So any of my dishes can be cooked with whatever type of meat you can find or afford--but if you can swing for the natural meats I do suggest you give them a try. OK enough of that...

I start by dipping my boneless pork chops into some beaten egg with milk, salt, and pepper. My son has a dairy allergy, so if he was having these I would substitute either rice milk or water in the egg, and you can too. Once the chops are coated in the egg, they go straight into a bowl filled with seasoned bread crumbs. You can use homemade or store bought here--I won't tell :)

Liberally coat the whole pork chop with the crumbs on the top, bottom and sides and then place them in a buttered baking dish. The butter is important here--it not only keeps the chops moist, but helps create a delicious crispy crust on the outside. Then straight onto the center rack of a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes (depending on the thickness of your chop), flipping the chops halfway through cooking. Here's the thing--DO NOT OVERCOOK YOUR PORK. Olde time lore taught us that you had to basically dry out your pork for it be safe, and this is simply not true. Over cooking is what causes tough rubbery chops so just don't do it. Ever.

And here is what you end up with. Delicious and tender pork chops. They are ready to eat like this, but I prefer mine with a little but of cayenne white gravy on top (we will discuss sauces in a future post). Add a couple of sides (again come back soon for more on these...) and dinner is served. 

Embrace the pig!