Crispy Pan Fried Pork Chops

A lot of the meals I make are usually family friendly, as in, I could feed a small army with them.  We are always stuck with leftovers.  While leftovers are great, it is nice every now and again to make a meal that is a good portion size.  So, I picked up Cooking for Two 2012 by America's Test Kitchen.  I stumbled upon a fried pork chop recipe and I was intrigued.  Normally, my frying technique is egg bath (sometimes I add some tabasco sauce for a little heat) and then dredge in breadcrumbs.  This one introduced me to the use of buttermilk.  It definitely produces a different sort of crunch.  I think this one is going to go into regular rotation.

Crispy Pan-Fried Pork Chops

adapted from Cooking for Two 2012 by America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients

1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup of panko
Salt and pepper
4 (3- to 4-ounce)boneless pork chops, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, trimmed
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Steps

1.  Place 1/4 cup of cornstarch in a shallow dish.  In a second shallow dish whisk buttermilk, mustard, and garlic together until combined.
2.  Combine 1/4 cup of cornstarch, panko, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until well mixed.  Transfer mixture to third shallow dish.
3.  Dredge pork chop in cornstarch and shake off excess.  Coat in buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off.  Then dredge in panko mixture and gently pat off excess.
4.  Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Carefully place chops in skillet and cook until golden brown and crisp on first side, 2 to 5 minutes.  Flip chops and cook until second side is golden brown and pork registers 145 degrees.
5.  Transfer chops to paper towel-lined plate and let drain for 30 seconds on each side. 

Sorry, I don't have any pictures.  We just sat down and gobbled it all up.  The 1/3 cup of vegetable oil wasn't enough for frying and I had to add some extra.  Other than that, we heartily enjoyed this.