Crispy Pan-Fried Pork Chops

From America's Test Kitchen Season 12: Shake and Bake Reinvented

Why this recipe works:

A breaded coating can be just the thing to give lean, bland pork chops a flavor boost—but not when it turns gummy and flakes off the meat. Using boneless chops was fast and easy. Cornstarch formed an ultra-crisp sheath. Buttermilk brought a lighter texture and tangy flavor to the breading, and minced garlic and mustard perked up the breading’s flavor. Crushed cornflakes added a craggy texture to the pork chops, especially once we added cornstarch to them before dredging the meat. Finally, to ensure our breading adhered to the chops, we gave the meat a short rest and we lightly scored the pork chops before adding them to the pan.

Serves 4

We prefer natural to enhanced pork (pork that has been injected with a salt solution to increase moistness and flavor) for this recipe. Don’t let the chops drain on the paper towels for longer than 30 seconds, or the heat will steam the crust and make it soggy. You can substitute ¾ cup of store-bought cornflake crumbs for the whole cornflakes. If using crumbs, omit the processing step and mix the crumbs with the cornstarch, salt, and pepper.

Ingredients

It’s FAST and it’s FREE.

Why register? The recipe you requested is only available to registered users of AmericasTestKitchen.com.
Register now for FREE access to every recipe, rating, and science explanation from the current season of the America’s Test Kitchen television show.