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09/26/2013
~ The Art of Frying the Perfect Skinny Pork Chop ~
If two words never seemingly belonged together in a phrase, they would be 'skinny' and 'pork chop' -- unless of course you grew up eating perfectly-cooked, 1/2"-thick, bone-in, pan-fried pork loin chops. I'm talking the 10-minutes-or-less to make pork chop. Golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside, and, moist, juicy and tender on the inside. Actually, I like mine a little pink in the center, which, makes mine the 8-minutes-or-less to make pork chop. All you do is:
Fry 'em, pick 'em up by the bone and love each and every bite!
When I was growing up, my dad was the master pork chop fryer in our family. They were always "skinny" and they were always bone-in, because as my dad says, "doesn't everyone know everything tastes better with the bone left in it or on it." He made them at least twice a month and always served them with baked beans, creamed corn and/or home fried potatoes. On pork chop nights, my brother and I were ready for dinner a half an hour before it was on the table.
I picked up a large package of 10, 1/2"-thick thin-cut, bone in pork chops today at the grocery store. That might seem like a lot, but, unless you are single, it really is not. It is safe to say that kids will eat at least two at one sitting -- adults, three. So, you can plan on 10 feeding a family of four with no leftovers.
Inside the package there might be two types of chops. This is not unusual, and, both cuts of chops will cook-up exactly the same.
Bone-In Rib Chops:
The rib chop is cut from the rib portion of the loin, which lies between the shoulder and the center of the loin. This cut has more marbling than the a center loin chop (see below), which, like beef, makes it more flavorful.
Bone-In Center Loin Chops:
The center cut lies on the loin between the sirloin and the rib portion. Center cut chops have a signature T-bone shape. On one side of the bone is loin, and on the other side, tenderloin. Of the two cuts, this one is my favorite, although others, like my husband like the rib chops better.
No matter which chop you like best, cut thin or thick, when it comes to pork chops, for maximum tenderness, do not cook past medium doneness.
I've got 6 rib chops and 4 center chops today. I've arranged them on a large clean work surface. Truthfully, they are on a new, clean, tall-kitchen can (trash) bag, where I will season them (as follows), and let them rest for about 10-15 minutes. Why the bag? Absolutely no mess to clean up. Just roll up the bag and throw it away.
~Steps 1 thru 4 (pictured above). Sprinkle the top of each chop with flour, not a full dredge, just a sprinkle. I like Wondra flour. Because it is granulated, it produces a crispiness that all-purpose flour will not. Sprinkle the top of each chop with garlic powder, then a grinding of sea salt and peppercorn blend. Allow chops to rest about 10-15 minutes. This will allow the flour to absorb the moisture from the chops, which will help them to fry up with a crispy outside.
~ Step 5. Get out the biggest skillet you've got. I'm using a 14" chef's pan with straight, deep sides. Add enough corn or peanut oil to the bottom to give it a thin, even coating. I am using peanut oil. Do not use olive oil, as its smoke point is wrong and the chops will burn. Heat oil over medium until little waves appear.
Even armed with a 14" skillet, 10 chops will not fit into it at once. No matter what size your skillet is, do not overcrowd the pan. These chops cook so quickly it is no big deal to cook them in 2-3 batches.
Note: Place chops in the pan, floured side down. You should immediately hear a sizzle. When you put the first one in, if you get no sizzle, your oil is not hot enough. Increase the heat a bit.
Season the second sides with a sprinkling of flour, garlic powder, sea salt and peppercorn blend.
Adjust heat to saute and continue to cook until the pork chops are golden brown on the bottom, about 4-5 minutes. You will know the pork chops are ready to flip over when they release themselves from the bottom of the pan. So, if you find them sticking to the bottom of pan, do not try to force them to turn over. Always listen to the pork chops.
~ Step 6. Flip chops over and saute on their second sides, until golden brown, 4-5 more minutes.
Note: In my pan, on my stovetop, my chops are perfectly cooked in 8 total minutes. Every stovetop regulates heat differently and every pan distributes it differently. This is not rocket science -- know and manage your own equipment!
I'm repeating the process with my last four chops. All I did was add and heat a little more oil in the skillet prior to adding them to the pan...
... seasoning the second sides and cooking as directed.
The Art of Frying the Perfect Skinny Pork Chop: Recipe yields instructions for pan frying thin-cut, bone-in pork chops.
Special Equipment List: 14" chef's pan w/straight, deep sides, preferably nonstick; fork and/or spatula
Cook's Note: For another one of my favorite "skinny" pork chop meals for Fall, you can find my ~ Crispy Cinnamon-Cayenne Breaded Pork Chops w/Brown Butter 'n Sage Bow Ties & Applesauce ~ in Categories 3 or 19.
If breaded pork chops are your favorite, my batter-dipped and deep-fried method is guaranteed to change your thinking on breading.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2013)
Comments
Wendy -- thanks for the nice comment. There's nothing quite like a perfectly-cooked skinny pork chop. Don't forget the baked beans and home fries (that's what my dad always served them with)! ~ Mel.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I love pork chops but so often they end up tuff & dry. This simple & quick cooking method makes me excited to try them again. Perfect for holidays with family too❤️
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Wendy -- thanks for the nice comment. There's nothing quite like a perfectly-cooked skinny pork chop. Don't forget the baked beans and home fries (that's what my dad always served them with)! ~ Mel.
Posted by: Kitchen Encounters | 10/30/2018 at 06:39 AM
Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I love pork chops but so often they end up tuff & dry. This simple & quick cooking method makes me excited to try them again. Perfect for holidays with family too❤️
Posted by: Wendy Szoka | 10/29/2018 at 07:43 PM