Country Fried Pork Chops

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Country Fried Pork Chops

Pork chops are one of the things that Jon always gives me gruff that I don’t cook enough. I prefer to cook something like one of my many favorite versions of a pork tenderloin, but once in a while I give in and make him one of his favorite meals of all time – these fried pork chops. It’s one of those manly, stick-to-your-ribs meals that all guys love…

Basically a pork chop is coated with a mixture of egg wash and seasoned flour, much like fried chicken is. Then pan fried. Afterwards, a milk gravy is made from the pan drippings and served over the pork chops. While it’s not the most figure-friendly thing on the planet, it really is delicious and totally worth a splurge every now and again.

I always serve with mashed potatoes, because they are equally as good topped with the gravy. This time around I also served roasted Brussels sprouts on the side, and they were really delicious with them too. If you’ve not had the pleasure of trying these, you should – as it’s “country cooking” to the core!

Country Fried Pork Chops

8 bone-in pork chops (about 3/4-inch thick)
2 eggs, beaten
few shakes hot sauce
1 cup flour
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil

For the gravy:
3 Tbsp flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Set oven to the warm setting. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet and place in the oven.

Mix eggs and hot sauce together in a shallow dish. Combine flour with paprika, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a large resealable plastic bag – mix to combine. Set both mixtures on counter and prepare pork chops for breading.

Season both sides of pork chops with the remaining salt and pepper. Dip each chop into the egg wash first, letting the excess drip back into the dish. Then place chop into the flour mixture, shaking the bag to cover each chop with flour well. Remove and set on plate. Repeat with other chops.

Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Place 4 pork chops (or however many will fit comfortably) in the hot skillet, frying until well browned on each side – about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and place onto the baking sheet in the warmed oven. Repeat with remaining pork chops.

Once chops are fried, prepare the gravy by adding the flour to the pan drippings in the skillet. Whisk to combine, and let cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk, and whisk constantly until mixture has thickened – about 3 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, and season to taste with more if desired.

Remove chops from oven and plate, serving the gravy on top of the chops. Pour remaining gravy into a serving dish and serve alongside with the chops on the table.

Souvlaki Gyros

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Souvlaki Gyros

Chicken gyros have long been one of my favorite meals to make at home – not to mention one of my most popular posts here on the site. Last summer, at a friend’s cookout, our good friend Pete (who happens to be Greek) make some delicious soulvaki kabobs to throw on the grill and share with everyone. I was completely blown away with the flavor, and couldn’t wait to try them out for myself in place of the chicken in my gyro recipe.

I used a boneless pork butt that I trimmed and cut down into bite-sized pieces, but a tenderloin would be fine as well – if you wanted a little less prep work. It’s a very basic marinade of lemon juice, red wine vinegar, plenty of garlic and oregano, and olive oil. It requires a longer soak time than the chicken, but the tenderness of the meat and flavor you get in the end product are well worth it in the long run!

It’s skewered then thrown on the grill. Once the meat was cooked we piled it into warm homemade pita bread, topped with a cool and creamy tzatziki sauce, and topped with lots of fresh veggies. We all agreed that we liked it as much, if not more, than the chicken version. It’s something fun and different for cookouts this summer, and one that I know we’ll be making again and again. Opa!

Souvlaki Gyros

3 lb boneless pork shoulder or butt
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 lemons, juiced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 batch tzatziki sauce
sliced tomatoes
sliced onions
sliced cucumbers
lettuce
Pocketless pita bread (whole wheat version found here)

Trim the pork of most of the visible fat, and cut down into 1-inch chunks. Place in a gallon-sized reasealable plastic bag.

Whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and pour over the pork. Seal up and squeeze the bag to distribute the marinade and coat the pork. Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinade at least 6 hours, or up to overnight.

Preheat the grill (or pan, or broiler) to medium-high heat. Place pork onto skewers (metal or wooden skewers that have been soaked) and place on hot grill. Cook for about about 10 minutes per side, until nicely charred on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from grill to a serving platter, tent with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm your pita bread on the grill or in the oven. Top the pita with the pork, tzatziki, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and lettuce.

Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin

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Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin

There are so many things to love about pork tenderloins – they’re relatively lean and healthy, the cook quickly, and they really absorb whatever flavors you decide to throw at them. I’ve made quite a few versions in the past, but I think this one is definitely in the running as my new favorite!

I’m a huge fan of anything chipotle-flavored anyways, but I’d never think to add honey to the mix. Plus with the addition of tart lime juice and zest and fresh cilantro it really made for a combination that was out of this world. You make a large batch of the marinade, then reserve half to drizzle over the tenderloins right before serving. I also think it would be a fabulous salad dressing!

I went ahead and doubled the marinade recipe  as I was using two pork tenderloins. The leftovers were great on Cuban sandwiches and quesadillas – so I’m glad that I went ahead and cooked two. This is one we’ll be coming back to again and again in our home, as everyone really enjoyed it!

Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin

1 whole pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
1 tsp lime zest
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp  fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Place the lime zest, lime juice, honey, salt, and garlic in a small, lidded jar and shake to combine. Pour half of the marinade mixture into a 1-gallon resealable bag, add the chipotle pepper, and move around to combine.

Add the pork tenderloin to the bag and seal, removing as much air as possible and place in a container to catch any leaks. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours, rotating the bag halfway through the time. Place the remaining marinade in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Light grill and bring to medium-high heat, about 450 degrees. Brush the grill with vegetable oil. Remove the tenderloin from the bag and place in the center of grate. Discard bag with marinade. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloin from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and slice. Drizzle with reserved marinade. Garnish with cilantro and serve with reserved marinade on the side.

Source: slightly adapted from Alton Brown

Cheesy Ham & Broccoli Pasta Bake

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Cheesy Ham & Broccoli Pasta Bake

It’s tough to beat a good cheesy pasta bake. One night I was really feeling macaroni and cheese, but wasn’t feeling much else than that. I knew I needed to give my guys some protein and veggies though, so I assessed what I had in the refrigerator – a ham steak and a couple of heads of broccoli, threw them into the mix, and came up with this.

I tweaked my original baked macaroni & cheese recipe by adding two different kinds of cheese. My standard classic cheddar, but also a rich and creamy Gruyere to really bump up the wow factor. Plus, it was kind of a fun twist on ham & cheese!

Ham steaks are great to have around. I love to dice them up and put them in pasta sauce, or on pizza, or even just warmed up in a skillet and served on a biscuit for an easy breakfast. I also topped it with garlic breadcrumbs, which isn’t something I usually go for on my macaroni and cheese – but the savory crunch with a hint of garlic was a nice contrast to the creamy tender pasta.

A great one pan meal that was easy to throw together and bake, and that everyone enjoyed. Love those kinds of dinners!

Cheesy Ham & Broccoli Pasta Bake

2 cups short tubular pasta (elbow macaroni, gemelli, penne)
4 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp kosher salt
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
6 oz Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese, shredded
2 cups ham steak, diced
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 7 minutes. Drain, place back in pot, and set aside.

In a medium size saucepan, melt 4 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk to make a roux, cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, continually whisking until thickened. Once thickened add the salt and mustard powder, as well as the cheeses. Stir to combine until cheese is melted.

Add the ham and broccoli to the pot with the pasta, and pour the cheese sauce into the pot as well. Toss to combine. Pour into a 2 quart baking dish.

Combine the breadcrumbs with the melted butter and garlic powder in a small bowl, toss to combine. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top of the pasta.

Cover dish with foil and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.