Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops with Crispy Sage

Tweet

Pin It

 

These thin cut pork chops are coated in a flavorful combination of Panko bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese. Add a squeeze of lemon and some crispy sage leaves and you have a meal fit for a King and Queen!  



Fried pork chops deliver everything everyone wants. The meat is sliced thinly, which makes it easy to coordinate doneness on the inside with crisping and browning on the outside. And, thanks to the magic of frying, even when those chops are cooked through, they're still as juicy as can be—satisfying to all, no matter how they like their meat cooked!

My top picks for breaded and fried chops are bone-in cuts—that bone gives you a handle to hold on to while gnawing at the chop—but boneless will certainly work as well.

Rib chops, which have a rib bone on one side, connected to a nice big cross section of the loin, work particularly well. Center-cut chops, which have a T-bone and include sections of both the loin and the tenderloin, are great choices, too. I like them cut pretty thin, about a half inch or less, which is just about right for purposes of timing: The meat will be just cooked through when the breading is done.

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops with Crispy Sage

8 bone in rib or center-cut pork chops(about 6 ounces) 1/2 inch thick or less
Seasoning salt and Pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
4 large eggs, beaten
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
24 sage leaves
1-1 1/2 cups vegetable or canola oil


Season the pork all over with the seasoning salt and pepper. 

Place three shallow bowls on a work surface. Add flour to the first one; beaten eggs to the second; and Panko/Parmesan mixture to third.

Working with one chop at a time, dredge a pork chop in flour with your left hand, shaking off excess. Transfer to egg dish, then turn pork with your right hand to coat both sides. Lift your right hand and allow excess egg to drain off, then transfer to Panko/Parm mixture. With your left hand, scoop Panko/Parm mixture on top of pork, then, gently press, turning pork to ensure a good layer of crumbs on both sides. Transfer pork to a clean parchment-lined baking sheet with your left hand and repeat with remaining cutlets.

Pour about a 1/4 inch of oil. To speed things up you could use two skillets simultaneously. Heat cooking oil over med high heat until shimmering and  just shy of smoking. A Panko mixture crumb dropped in oil should sizzle and foam immediately.

Using tongs or your fingers, gently lower chops into hot oil, laying them down away from you to prevent hot oil form splashing toward you. Fry gently swirling pan and rotating chops for even browning, and adjusting heat as necessary for a steady vigorous bubble, until bottom sides are browned and crisp, about three minutes. Flip chops and fry until the other side is browned and crisp, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining chops. 

Crispy Sage

I tossed the sage leaves into the oil while the chops were frying. Fry for about 15 seconds, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon or tongs. DO NOT let the leaves brown, they become bitter. Transfer to paper towel lined plate. The leaves become crisp as they cool. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

The crispy sage will keep for two days in a closed container at room temperature. 
 
A squeeze of lemon and ......
Enjoy!