Uncle Bob's Countrified Pork Chops (fried, dieters beware)

Mmm - Pork Chops!

Do you long for a country-fried supper like Grandma used to make? (or in my case, Aunt Retha)… look no further!

This is a recipe for “breaded” and fried chops, with Yukon-Gold smashed potatoes (w/a touch of garlic) and cream gravy.  I serve this with something green, like spinach, or peas, or salad, or whatever you want.  Serves 4 diet-conscious lightweights or two hungry-man humans.  This is not diet food, sorry.

For the chops…

4 pork chops.  I used boneless center cut, med cut (not too thin, not too thick)

Flour

Corn Meal

Panko Crumbs

Salt, Pepper, and Onion Powder

Milk

Heat a cast iron skillet (or whatever you have if you don’t have an iron one).  I smear it with a little oil to preheat it to medium, then add more cold oil as I put the chops in the skillet. (This is the world's first non-stick skillet).

In a shallow dish of some kind, put in a generous amount of flour. I didn’t measure but probably ½ to ¾ cup.  Add maybe 1/8 cup (2 TB) of Panko crumbs, a sprinkle or two of corn meal, plus some salt, pepper and onion powder (maybe 1 tsp each).  I tend to add more pepper.  I like pepper.  Mix this all up with a fork.

In another shallow dish or bowl, add ½ cup or so of milk.  Dip each chop in the milk, let it drip for a second or two (I just hang it by hand over the bowl), then dredge the wet chop through the flour mixture.  If your skillet is ready (hot enough to sizzle and splatter a drop or two of water), put the chop in the skillet (you’ve just added the extra oil – maybe 2 or 3 TB of it).  Set the heat about medium-low to medium.  Repeat with as many of the chops as you can fit in the skillet (about three will fit in a twelve-incher). 

Fry the chops on one side about 4 minutes, turn and fry 3 minutes more. You may need to adjust the heat so they do not burn. Remove to a platter and set in the microwave to keep warm, and fry the remaining chops the same way. You might need to add a bit more oil. If the chops are thin-cut, try frying 3 minutes each side; no need to overcook them.

For the gravy:

After the chops are all done, add a touch more oil to the dirty skillet and as it heats, dump in the remaining flour mixture along with a little bit of dried minced onion (if you have it).  Add a pat of butter for a little extra flavor.  Cook this for a few moments over med heat, until it is all bubbly and sizzling.  Start adding milk and as it cooks, it will thicken.  As it thickens, add more milk.  Start with about 3 or 4 TB oil (including what's left in the skillet from the chops), 3 TB flour, and 1½ to 2 cups milk.  Add the milk slowly, and quit when the gravy is the consistency you like.  You can add more milk if you need to, but you cannot take milk back out if you put in too much. So just do a little at a time.   (You could add a touch of chicken bouillon for extra flavor, if you want, but I don't think it needs it.)

For the smashed taters:

1½ lb Yukon Golds

¼ cup half and half

2 TB melted butter

1 tsp salt

1 tsp coarse ground pepper

½ tsp pulverized prepared garlic

+ additional milk as needed

Peel the taters and quarter them lengthwise.  If they are large ones, I cut the quarters in half.  Place these in boiling water about 15-20 minutes – until you can very easily run a fork through them with no resistance. Drain them well and place into a large bowl.  Add the melted butter.  Warm the half/half to room temperature or better. Add that to the bowl.  Add the salt, pepper and garlic. Using a hand potato masher, smash everything all together until it’s as smooth as you can get it with your masher. Then add a tiny bit of milk (maybe 1/8 cup) and mash some more – as much as it takes to get the consistency you want.  Dot the top of the smashed up bowl of potatoes with about a TB of butter, cut into bits and spread out like you were dotting a pie.  Let it melt.

Serve the warm chops with a heaping pile of smashed potatoes on the side, top it all with some gravy and add a vegetable or salad.  This is old-fashioned country cooking and as easy as pie.

Note: If you ever made mashed potatoes and they turned out gummy, it's because you used cold milk or cream.  That's why I stated room temperature or better for the half/half in this recipe.  The warmer the better.

The amounts of ingredients are ball-park.  Like most cooks, I make this without reference to a recipe -- the amounts aren't critical as long as you don't get carried away. Don't eat this everyday, but once in a while.  It's a heart attack on a plate!  (But oh-so good!)