Pan Fried Pork Chops

"Ever consider what pets must think of us?  I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul - chicken, pork, half a cow.  They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth!"

- Anne Tyler

I am about porked out this week.  We had German style chops with cabbage, apples, and potatoes on Sunday, apricot pork tenderloin on Tuesday, and on Wednesday - our breakfast night - I fixed the leftover chops.  My mom had planned to fry them, but she was delayed at work, so that task fell to me.  I had never fried a chop in my life.  As I said before, I don't fry very often, and I'm not exceptionally talented at frying anything except hush puppies.  The only reason I accepted the challenge was I didn't want to be waiting on food at bedtime.  Before I began the chops, I set them on the counter to come to room temperature.  While the chops warmed up a bit, I worked on a batch of Biscuits - we were out of Crisco, so I used a stick of margarine instead.  After the biscuits were on the baking stone, I started work on the chops.

Pan Fried Pork Chops

8 pork tenderloin chops

2 cups all-purpose flour

salt & pepper

2 Tb cooking oil

1. Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.

2. Press chops into flour mixture, turn to coat.  Place coated chops on a cookie sheet lightly coated with cooking spray.

3. Let chops rest while you heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat (6-7).  Once oil is heated add chops 4 at a time.  Cook approximately 5 minutes per side.  Test internal temperature - it should be 145°.  Remove chops to a rimmed baking sheet in a preheated 450° oven while you fry the other batch - you can even bake a batch of biscuits alongside the chops in the oven.

4. Serve with biscuits and gravy.