Southern · main

Crispy Fried Pork Chops with Milk Gravy

Crispy Fried Pork Chops with Milk Gravy reads umami 6.4, richness 5.5 and allium 3.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Southern main, about 1 hr 1 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 0.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.7 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.4 · Richness 5.5 · Allium 3.8 · Salinity 3.6 · Heat 3.5 · Sourness 3.2 · Warm Spice 2.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.1 · Bitterness 1.2 · Nutty 0.9 · Sweetness 0.8 · Earthy 0.6 · Herbaceous 0.5

What's in it (12)

• lean pork chops — 1134 g
• salt — 7 g
• black pepper — 5 g
• buttermilk — 237 g
• egg — 100 g
• all-purpose flour — 181 g
• garlic — 5 g
• onion powder — 5 g
• cayenne pepper — 3 g
• vegetable oil — 218 g
• regular milk — 592 g
• black pepper — 5 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 1 min (31 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 241 kcal, 20.8 g protein, 8.1 g fat, 20.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Pat the pork chops dry and season both sides with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper; let sit at room temperature 15 minutes while you set up the breading station.
2. Whisk the buttermilk and egg together in a shallow dish; in a second shallow dish, whisk 1 1/4 cups of the flour with the garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
3. Dredge each chop in the seasoned flour, dip in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge again in the flour, pressing firmly so the crust adheres; set the breaded chops on a wire rack and let rest 10 minutes so the coating sets and won't shed in the oil.
4. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium heat until it reaches 325°F. Fry the chops two at a time, 5 to 6 minutes per side, until the crust is deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 145°F; transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
5. Tent the fried chops loosely with foil and let rest at least 5 minutes while you make the gravy — this keeps the juices in and the crust from steaming soft underneath.
6. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings from the skillet, keeping the browned crumbs and fond in the pan; whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup flour and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until golden and no longer smells raw, 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Gradually whisk in the whole milk, scraping up the browned bits, and bring to a gentle simmer; cook, whisking often, until the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 6 to 8 minutes.
8. Stir in the coarsely ground pepper and season with salt to taste, thinning with a splash more milk if the gravy has gone too thick.
9. Plate the pork chops and ladle the peppered milk gravy generously over top; serve immediately while the crust is still crackling.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Sisig (Sizzling Pork Cheek and Ear) — Filipino
• Oxtail Stew — Jamaican
• Texas-Style No-Bean Beef Chili — American
• Jamaican Beef Patty — Jamaican
• Crispy Chili Garlic Chicken — Indian · Indo-Chinese

Keep reading: what umami, richness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.