Fried Pork Chops
Fried Pork Chops are a classic Southern comfort food! These crispy, tender pork chops are served with an easy homemade gravy on top for maximum flavor.
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Today we’re jumping into the recipe for an all-time favorite comfort food: Fried Pork Chops. This is a classic Southern recipe, and you can find it on the menu at roadside diners and soul food restaurants throughout the South.
Fried Pork Chops are made by coating fresh pork chops in flour and then pan frying them until they are crispy and golden brown. They are tender enough to be eaten by themselves, but the pork chops are often served with gravy. (The gravy is made with the pan drippings from cooking the chops.)
Fried Pork Chops
Fried Pork Chops are sometimes called chicken fried pork chops – a confusing term to be sure. Are we talking about fried chicken or fried pork? Well, the short answer is the process is fairly similar for both. For the pork chops, we dip the cuts of pork into a mixture of buttermilk and hot sauce. Some recipes just call for milk, but buttermilk is so much better when it comes to fried food! (Tip: Keep a container of buttermilk powder in the fridge – that way you can whip up just as much buttermilk as you need.)
From there, the pork chops get dredged in a mixture of self-rising flour and cornmeal. I personally like the combination as the self-rising flour keeps the coating from becoming too dense and gummy while the cornmeal adds a slight crunch to the crust. The cornmeal-flour mixture gets seasoned with seasoned salt (i.e. Lawry’s), garlic powder and smoked paprika.
The next step is to cook the pork chops in a cast iron skillet filled with ~1″ of vegetable oil. It’ll only take 2-3 minutes per side until those pork chops turn golden brown and crispy. The final step is the gravy – and it doesn’t take long! Just drain most of the oil from the skillet and add some butter, flour and milk. (I like to use the leftover buttermilk from earlier in the recipe.) Whisk that mixture for a few minutes, and it’ll turn nice and creamy. Spoon the gravy over the pork chops, and dinner is ready.
What to Serve with Fried Pork Chops?
Talk about the epitome of Southern comfort food! We served these pork chops with green beans and roasted sweet potatoes. Mashed potatoes would be an excellent choice, too – this Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes recipe is nice and easy! Freshly baked cornbread or this Cheesy Spoon Bread would be an excellent side dish choice, too. A simple side salad is an easy option as well.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover Fried Pork Chops should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place the pork chops in the oven (or toaster oven) at 350°F for ~8-10 minutes, or until heated through. Once fried, these pork chops freeze well, too. Just wrap each in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Let the frozen chops thaw in the refrigerator before reheating as normal.
If you’ve got a craving for some seriously delicious comfort food, then put this Fried Pork Chops recipe on the list! The taste and flavor in these pork chops is fantastic, and they’re always a cold-weather favorite in our house. I hope you enjoy them, too. Cheers!
Did you make this Fried Pork Chops recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Fried Pork Chops
Ingredients
For the Fried Pork Chops
- 4 1-1½” thick boneless pork chops
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper plus more for garnishing
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- ½ cup self-rising flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ½ Tbsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp seasoned salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- vegetable oil or canola oil for frying
- chopped Italian parsley for garnishing
For the Gravy
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk plus more if needed
- ¼ cup buttermilk see note
Instructions
For the Fried Pork Chops
- Using a meat mallet or a rolling pin, pound pork chops until 1” thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; set pork chops aside.
- Place buttermilk and hot sauce in a large shallow bowl; whisk until well combined.
- Place self-rising flour, cornmeal, baking powder, seasoned salt, garlic powder and smoked paprika in a separate large, shallow dish; whisk together until well combined.
- Dip pork chops first in buttermilk and then dredge in the flour mixture. Press flour mixture gently into pork chops to ensure it sticks. Place coated pork chops on a plate and let sit for 10 minutes. (See note below.)
- Meanwhile, using a large skillet (preferably a cast iron skillet), add enough oil to fill skillet 1” deep. Place over medium high heat until temperature reaches 350°F.
- Working in batches of 2 pork chops each, fry pork chops for 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and fully cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F.
- Once fully cooked, let pork chops drain on a wire rack or on a plate lined with paper towels.
For the Gravy
- Carefully drain excess hot oil from skillet, but leave ~1 Tbsp of oil in skillet.
- Place skillet over medium heat.
- Add unsalted butter; stir until butter has completely melted.
- Sprinkle flour on top. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add milk and buttermilk; reduce heat to medium-low.
- Cook at a low simmer, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes or until gravy thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. (Note: If the gravy thickens too much, add up to an additional ½ cup of milk as needed.)
- Spoon gravy over cooked pork chops.
- Before serving, garnish with additional black pepper and chopped parsley.
Notes
Looking for more comfort food recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Thanks for making me hungry BTW can’t wait to make your recipes soon for me
Thank you, Ramya – I hope you enjoy this recipe!!
Oooh these fried pork chops look so decadent and juicy! Perfect for tonight’s dinner!
You can say that again, Michelle – these pork chops are surprisingly easy, and they’re absolutely delicious!!
These Fried Pork Chops sound like the ultimate comfort food! Pairing them with green beans, roasted sweet potatoes, or cornbread sounds like Southern heaven on a plate. Definitely a recipe to save for those cozy, cold-weather dinners!
Yes! These fried pork chops with green beans and a good wedge of cornbread would be an all-time favorite Southern dinner. Perfect for these colder days that are starting to move in here!
we are not pork eaters but these certainly look golden and delicious David! I usually end up making my own buttermilk even tho you can buy it in the supermarket. It’s just so easy to make – with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar in the milk. Here’s to tangy goodness in your food.
sherry
I do love that tangy goodness that comes from buttermilk – and Laura is obsessed with it! Making your own buttermilk is definitely an easier way than buying it at the store. I have to say that the powdered stuff is pretty handy though!
I would love to eat this for dinner tonight David. I am laughing to myself, as I have just posted a low calorie recipe, we are trying hard to reduce calories in between events, and your recipe is definitely not low calorie, but is just like the food my Mum used to make. Absolutely delicious. I’ve never seen powdered buttermilk, and interesting that you prefer to use it for a meal like this. I generally just make it from milk and vinegar, but this would eliminate that step. I am drooling over the thought of these pork chops.
Oh I totally get it, Pauline! A lot of the recipes I make and share don’t fall into the low-calorie category. For us, it’s all about portion control and being careful at other meals during the day. Oh and working out in the mornings. If you’re looking for an indulgent meal (and we all need one of those on occasion), then I highly recommend these pork chops!!
I love how your Fried Pork Chops recipe balances crispy golden crunch with rich, velvety gravy. It’s pure comfort food David. Yum!
This really is pure comfort food, Neil – perfect for the chilly, rainy days that we’ve had lately. Thank you!!
Southern comfort food at its best. Right up there with chicken fried steak. 😊
Oh, I do love me some chicken fried steak!! Thanks, Karen! 🙂
I’ve never done anything like this, but I’ve always wanted to. I had no idea there was such a thing as buttermilk powder! That’s a game changer. What do you do with the leftover oil? Do you save it and re-use it?
Oh the buttermilk powder was absolutely a game-changer for me, Jeff! I keep a container in the back of the fridge at all times now. Need 1/2 cup of buttermilk? No problem! I know you can do the lemon juice + vinegar trick, but I find the powder is just easier. As far as leftover oil, I usually dispose of it in an old bottle or jar. If I know I have a use for it in the next day or two, I’ll save it…but that’s not usually the case. I know you can strain oil and reuse it, but I find that to be a lot of work.
Beautifully done, David! Those pork chops look perfectly seared and irresistibly juicy – such a cozy and satisfying dish.
Thanks, Ben! These pork chops are indeed quite delicious. Perfect comfort food right here!