Easy Crispy Fried Pork Chops Recipe

Hey yall! I finally got around to creating crispy fried pork chops recipe. I’ve been trying to eat healthier, but I’ve been craving some fried food all week long. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to make fried chicken or pork chops.

What yall dont know is porkchops are my favorite. I’ll take fried porkchops over fried chicken or fish ANY DAY OF THE WEEK—something about a thin cut fatty fried pork chop that sends me up the wall.

In this recipe, I’ll teach you not only how to make some delicious fried pork chops, but also what you need to do to get them nice and crispy. I grew up on pork chops, so excuse my excitement.

It was one of the many things my grandma and her husband, McCloud, prepared for dinner that I always looked forward to, and one of the foods I looked forward to learning how to cook the most.

Now that I’m older and can cook for myself… I’m always looking for new ways to season my fried pork chops, but today I’m going to keep it simple. These make the perfect main dish for a weekday dinner.

Are pork chops popular?

It’s more popular in the South than it is in the North and West Coast… many pork dishes such as chitterlings, hog maws, pig’s feet, pork neck bones, fried pork chops, and oven baked ham are all dishes that were made popular in the South.

This was mainly due to slavery! 80% of African Americans live in the southern part of the country because that’s where we settled when we came from Africa, were kept during slavery, and later stayed and made our home during the jim crow era up until this day.

African Americans created so many delicious pork based recipes because a lot of these foods were deemed undesirable to slave owners and they notoriously fed slaves the food that was considered less desirable that they didn’t want.

These foods consists of, the pig’s feet, chitterlings which are pig intestines, hog maws, which is from a pig’s stomach, fastback from the pig’s back, and chicken gizzards, an organ in the chicken’s digestive system.

None sound very desirable does it? But Africans were survivors and persevering and overcoming is what they’re known for. So they made these animal parts, mainly from the pig which has historically been seen as disgusting, into scrumptious delicious dishes many of us love.

However, because we’re living in a world where people are eating healthier due to prioritizing their health more, and many religions prohibit the consumption of pork, pork is probably the least popular meat in the states, AGAIN, EXCEPT FOR IN THE SOUTH!

Are pork chops a Black Soul Food delicacy?

Pork chops, are similar to pork bacon in that, because it’s one of the types of pork that people like most and are receptive to. Even people who arent religious or healthy eaters detest pork.

But they if there is a type of pork they will eat it’s pork bacon, pork sausage, ham, which is popular during thanksgiving and Christmas, and pork chops. With that being said, I wouldn’t call it a black delicacy.

But the way they’re fried and prepared I would say these fried pork chops are. But fried pork chops are not something African Americans made popular. It’s pretty popular among all races and groups of people just like pork bacon, and ham. 

Chitterlings, Hog Maws, Fat back, and Pig’s Feet are however, most popular within the African American community in the South. Ok, now onto the recipe, here are the ingredients…

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Recipe Ingredients:

• Pork Chops: Use center-cut pork chops. I use pork chops that are on the thin side, but not too thin. You can use either bone-in or boneless pork chops.
• Flour and cornstarch: I use all-purpose flour and ensure the cornstarch is no more than 3 months old, as older cornstarch may not be as effective. Cornstarch is what gives the pork chops a super crispy exterior. I always use more flour than cornstarch.
• Vegetable oil: I prefer using vegetable oil. You can use canola, peanut, or your favorite frying oil, as long as it has a high smoke point.
• Hotsauce: Hot sauce adds depth of flavor and a little heat to the egg wash.
• Yellow mustard: Yellow mustard adds flavor and assists the egg wash in binding the flour to the pork chops
• Eggs: The eggs serve as the main binding ingredient, helping the flour mixture stick better to the pork chops.
• Adobo, Paprika, Garlic powder, Onion powder, Cayenne, Black pepper, and Italian seasoning: These are my favorite seasonings to season pork chops with, and the traditional seasonings used to season fried pork chops. You can’t go wrong with this combination of seasonings here.

How to Make Crispy Fried Porkchops

1. Pat pork chops dry with a paper towel to absorb any moisture.
   Make sure they’re as dry as possible!
2. Season the pork chops with half of the seasonings and rub each side down with mustard, and set aside.
3. Crack the eggs and combine them with hot sauce to create the binding agent, then add some seasonings.
4. Combine the flour and cornstarch in a ziploc bag or large mixing bowl, then add the remaining seasonings. 
5. Dip the seasoned pork chops into the egg wash, then drain off any excess egg wash.
   You want a thin coating of egg wash.
6. Coat the pork chops with the flour/cornstarch mixture, shake off the excess flour mixture, and set aside on a baking rack.
7. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
8. After 6 to 7 minutes, once the oil is hot or reaches 375°F, add in 3 pork chops and fry on both sides for about 6 minutes until crispy.
9. Set on a baking rack over a baking sheet.

Tips for best results:

• Marinate: If you can let your pork chops sit and marinate overnight or for 8 hours in the refrigerator that would enhance it’s deliciousness!
• Add Cornstarch to Breading: Adding cornstarch to the flour is crucial and will help make the pork chops extra crispy.
• Rest on a baking rack: Placing the pork chops on a baking rack will allow air to hit it from underneath, preventing it from becoming soggy on the bottom side, which happens when you sit it on a paper towel.

Serving suggestions:

• Stovetop Macaroni and cheese: You cant go wrong with macaroni and cheese. I can eat it with anything fried because it just tastes great with fried food. I have a Easy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese Recipe you will like here on my blog so give it a shot.
• Yellow Rice: Rice, yellow, brown, or white for that matter makes a perfect side dish for pork chops. I love yellow rice aka spanish rice with pork chops and a little hot sauce drizzled over both? Maaan!!! Im getting hungry just thinking about it.
• Spaghetti and sauce: Spaghetti and sauce or spaghetti and meat sauce works. But since we already have meat with the pork chops I dont like to over do it with the meat so something I’ll just make some pasta with sauce as a side dish. OMG! This is probably my favorite side for anything fried, pork chops, fish, chicken… spaghetti sauce just works. This is a southern thang!!
• Sweet Corn: I love sweet corn but I especially love it with fried pork chops. I havent quite figured out what it is but it taste so good with crispy fried pork chops. My mom would always make white rice and corn for sides whenever she made pork chops. I still do to this day and here is a Sweet Buttery Corn Recipe for you to try.
• Green Beans: Green beans are my favorite green veggie. Make some green beans if you’re looking for a green vegetable to eat. Here’s a Easy Frozen Green Beans Recipe for ya!
• Mixed Vegetables: You cant go wrong with a big of frozen mixed vegetables… you got all your favorite veggies in one bite and I have a Delicious Mixed Vegetables Recipe you’ll love here.

Storage and reheating

• How to store fried pork chops: You can store fried pork chops in a sealed container or dish, like a Tupperware bowl, or wrapped in a Ziploc bag or aluminum foil, then set in the refrigerator.
• Can you freeze these? Yes, just make sure they’re tightly sealed in a ziploc bag to prevent freezer burn before storing them in the freezer.
• How to reheat pork chops: The best way to reheat fried pork chops or anything fried for that matter, is in an oven or air fryer. In an oven, set it to 375°F, and bake on a griddle or aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes. An air fryer set to 370°F, and 3 to 4 minutes per side will get the job done.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you clean the pork chops, and if so, how so?

Cleaning meat is a preference thing. Not everyone believes in doing it believe it or not. Some believe the heat will kill any bacteria on the meat and cleaning it will spread germs. 

I feel good cleaning the meat because it looks fresher afterwards and it ensures any foreign debris is removed. Here are some solutions commonly used to clean meat.

Some people use salt water, some use lemon/lime juice and water, baking soda and water, and even vinegar and water. Use enough water to cover the meat by 1-2 inches and a tablespoon of either product.

Let the meat soak for 20-25 minutes, scrub the meat with your hands, rinse the water and then pat it dry and set it aside. If there’s any excessive fat on the pork chops, remove and discard.

Why does the breading puff up, and come off after I remove the pork chops from the frying pan?

• Make sure meat is dry: It’s important to pat your meats dry and ensure they’re as dry as possible and not filled with moisture because the flour will absorb it, preventing it from crisping up when it hits the hot oil.
• Egg wash too thick: You may ask “Well since egg wash is wet, doesn’t it create moisture”? YES! Too much egg wash will make the flour too wet preventing it from crisping up. This is why I always say in recipes where we use an egg wash to bind flour, to let the excess egg wash drip off. Only a thin layer is needed!!!
• Too much Flour: Adding too much flour during the dredging process will create a thick layer of flour that will lock in moisture. The moisture wont dry out in the hot oil, which is needed to acquire a crispy exterior.
• Cold Oil: If you add coated meat to oil that’s not very hot, it wont fry immediately. So the flour will absorb too much oil which wont allow it to crisp up. So make sure your oil is 375F and doesn’t drop below 350 at any point while frying.
• Overcrowding pan: This causes the temperature of the oil to drop, which causes the flour to absorb too much moisture before it crisp up resulting in soggy breading.

How to keep the pork chops from drying out while cooking?

To avoid chewy, dry fried pork chops, which are THE ABSOLUTE WORST, cook them over a higher temperature so that they cook fast. The objective is to get the skin crispy and remove. 

Frying them for 20 minutes isn’t necessary and is what cause the pork chops to dry out. Cooking on medium or low for 20 minute is the culprit. So remember, high and short… pork chops shouldn’t take more than 12 minutes on 375.

I hope you guys enjoy this delicious, crispy fried pork chops recipe as much as I do. If you like them, please rate, comment, and share the recipe on all your social media platforms; it helps a lot.

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Enjoy, later!

Pbj~

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