Crispy Pan Seared Porkchops and Tender Golden Potatoes

To quote the film Babe, "pork is a nice sweet meat."  I have to admit, I was never a huge pork chop fan.  Generally, I find it difficult to find a lean, thick cut, boneless pork chop in the supermarket.  They can be fatty and lack tenderness.  That is, until I began buying them locally.  These days, "buy fresh, buy local" is all the rage, especially here in Charlottesville.  That's why I felt like a real Charlottesvillian when I made my first grocery purchase from Relay Foods.  The idea is to buy your groceries from local farms and businesses and pick them all up at a conveniently "local" location.  I was intrigued with the idea of farm fresh pork chops (although these were a bit pricier that most you find in the average market), so I decided to indulge.  And boy, was that the right decision, for these were the most succulent pieces of pork you can imagine.  So I urge you, if you can find a farm fresh piece of pork, spend the extra couple dollars.   You won't be sorry.  And now, without further ado, here is how to create the deliciousness that these little piggies were fated to become.

Ingredients - Crispy Pork Chop:
 
4 boneless pork chops (about 2-3 inches in thickness)
1 egg
2 tbs milk
1 cup panko bread crumbs (I know, I am panko obsessed)
1 tsp paprika
2 tbs Olive Oil
Salt (kosher salt is preferable)
Pepper

1. Pound out the pork chops to about half their thickness.  This will really help tenderize them.
2. Set out two wide bowls (pie pans also work great for this). Whisk the egg with the milk in a wide bowl.
3. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs, paprika, salt, and pepper.
4. One by one, coat chops in egg wash, followed by bread crumb mixture.  Be sure all sides of chops are coated evenly.
5. Heat olive oil in pan on medium-high. 
6. When oil is hot, add pork chops (2 at a time works well). 
7. Generally, chops will take 3-5 minutes to cook on each side, depending on thickness.
8. Chops are cooked when each side is a golden brown color and there is no pinkness in the middle.  It is very easy to overcook chops, which makes for some rubbery, tough piggies (I know, I've done it).
9. Repeat until all chops are cooked.  Set on paper towels to drain oil for a minute or so before serving.

BEFORE the sizzle...

Done!

Tender Roasted Potatoes


My tender roasted potatoes are very easy and delicious.  You can substitute in any herbs or spices that you like.  If you like your potatoes crispy, you can cook at a higher temperature and leave out the chicken stock.  However, I find the tenderness of these potatoes really complements the crispy element of the pork.  

Ingredients - Tender roasted potatoes

4-6 medium sized yukon gold potatoes, sliced into thin rounds (Tyler Florence refers to these as "the Cadillac of potatoes)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium sweet vidalia onion, chopped
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Throw potato slices and onions into large pan.
3. Toss in olive oil, paprika, chili powder, garlic, salt and pepper.  Use your hands to toss everything around in the pan to make sure spices evenly coat potatoes and onions.  Everything should end up in a fairly even layer.

This is how they'll appear in the pan before baking

4. Pour chicken stock over potato mixture.
5. Cook for about 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Serve pork chops and potatoes with some sort of healthy veggie.  I went with an old stand-by, steamed broccoli.  

Ta-Da!

Try this recipe for yourself or send it to a pig-loving friend! 

Snort snort,
Emily

P.S. As a child, I was an avid pig-lover.  I had multiple piggie banks, a stuffed pig named Arnold, and I yearned to grow up and own my own pig farm (the pigs would be strictly pets, not dinner).  My, my, how I have changed my ways.  To quote myself at 7 years of age, during a breakfast in which bacon was involved, "Pigs of the world, forgive me!  My mommy is making me eat this!"