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Country Fried Pork Chops

Country fried pork chops with a crunchy cornmeal-flour crust and shatteringly crisp breading. Pan-fried pork chops are served with classic white gravy made from drippings and whole milk.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 800
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pork chops
  • 4 thin-cut pork chops About 1/2 inch thick.
Breading
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup cornmeal
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • salt and pepper To taste.
  • 2 eggs Beaten.
  • 0.25 cup buttermilk
  • oil for frying Enough to cover about 1/2 inch in skillet.
White gravy
  • 3 tbsp drippings Reserve 3 tablespoons from fried chops.
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 2 cup whole milk
  • salt and pepper To taste, for gravy.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the breading stations
  1. In a shallow dish, mix all-purpose flour, cornmeal, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.
  2. In a second shallow dish, whisk eggs with buttermilk until smooth and pourable.
Bread the pork chops
  1. Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, coating both sides.
  2. Coat the pork chop in the seasoned flour mixture and press firmly so the crust adheres.
Fry the chops
  1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until hot, maintaining a steady sizzle.
  2. Fry pork chops 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through, flipping once halfway through.
  3. Drain on paper towels, then reserve 3 tablespoons of drippings for the gravy.
Make white gravy
  1. Whisk flour into the reserved drippings in the skillet over medium heat and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Slowly whisk in whole milk, then simmer until thick, stirring to prevent lumps.
  3. Season with salt and pepper and serve the white gravy over the crispy pork chops.

Notes

Pro tip: press the pork chops firmly into the flour so the crust “shatters” instead of flakes off. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet or oven to help re-crisp. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. For a lower-fat option, use a light oil and trim any excess fat from the pork chops before breading.