Pickles and Tea Blog

I love my pork chops two ways.

One, of course, is my mom’s version. Breaded and pan-fried, these lovelies turn out crisp and golden on the outside, juicy on the inside every time (that Mom makes them, that is). The second is honey-garlic pork chops, a dish I first tasted at one of my favorite Seattle Chinese restaurants, Honey Court. Thick-cut chops are coated in flour (all-purpose or corn starch) and fried before being cloaked in a sweet, garlic-studded sauce.

Hard as I try, my homemade interpretations never turn out as juicy and tasty as the originals. The culprit, I believe, is overcooking.

I admit, my meat thermometer makes a grand appearance about once a year when I want to ensure I don’t poison my guests at Thanksgiving. But… but… my mom never used one and instead called upon some foolproof internal maternal cooking meter. And the pros do it by feel, right? A medium-done piece of meat should have a slight resistance, not feel hard and solid, when you press on it with your finger.

Well, neither my mom’s intuitive method nor the finger-poking method was working for me so I had to come up with a fool-proof method of my own.

Thankfully, I found this article on quick-brining. Brining helps ensure juiciness and adds flavor and even a quick dip can make a difference for small cuts. For a quick brine, dissolve salt in warm water and brine your pork chops for at least 15 minutes, up to 2 hours. Plus, you can infuse even more flavor by adding aromatics like garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, lemongrass, or cloves. It’s great since you don’t need to think or prep ahead (ideal for cooks like me!).

Another article also caught my attention: “8 Mistakes People Make when Cooking Pork Chops.” Whoa. What pork-chop loving cook wouldn’t click on that link? My biggest takeaway: cook the pork till 135 degrees F and then leave it to rest. The residual heat will bring it up to the recommended 145 degrees F (and even if it’s a degree or two shy, it won’t kill you). What brilliance!

On one hand, I feel guilty tweaking Mom’s recipes sometimes. It’s as if I don’t respect her and her methods. But after recreating many of my childhood favorites, I’m finding it necessary to adapt to changing tastes and time constraints. And really, proof is in the pudding.

Cooking perfect pork chops takes some practice but with these newfound techniques, Mom’s beloved pork chops turned out moist and juicy, just the way I remember it. I don’t know what she’d make of the brining process, I don’t know if she even knows it exists. But the moral of the story is: modern techniques when applied to old ways can and do result in success.

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Pan-fried Pork Chops
I use bone-in chops because the resulting meat is so richly-flavored, and I love to gnaw on the bone! If you prefer, use boneless cuts (with some marbling, please) or trim off the bone and fat before serving. My mom loves the loftiness of panko but likes a finer texture, hence the whirling. Skip this step if you don’t mind the large flakes.

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes

4 (3/4-inch-thick) bone-in pork chops (about 1-1/2 pounds total), quick-brined and patted dry
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup panko bread crumbs whirled in the food processor until fine
1 egg or egg white (Mom says the chops turn out crispier) beaten with 2 tablespoons of water
Canola oil for pan-frying

1. Sprinkle both sides of each pork chop lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Dip both sides of the pork chops in the egg mixture, and follow with the bread crumbs.
3. Swirl 2 tablespoons canola oil into a 12-inch heavy skillet, and heat over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear each chop to create a golden crust then turn down the heat to medium. Cook for a total of 3 to 4 minutes on the first side without moving it.
4. Flip and cook until browned on the outside with a trace of pink inside (cut into it to check) and the internal temperature hits 135 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer if you’re following the advice above, or 145 degrees F if you are a stickler for FDA regs. Chops can overcook very easily so be vigilant especially if yours are thinner or thicker!
5. Remove from the heat and let rest tented in foil for about 10 minutes. Serve with ketchup, or your favorite chili sauce or sambal.

Note: After a turn in the food processor, the panko will be reduced to half. If replacing with fine bread crumbs halve the amount.