I’ve never liked pork chops. My mother, a terrible cook, broiled pork chops until they resembled charred slabs of wood. I was forced to eat these things with applesauce. I still like applesauce.
My youngest child loves pork chops, so I had to learn how to prepare them properly. After several failed attempts (dry, hard, tasteless), I discovered a foolproof recipe from Cooks Illustrated on the Smitten Kitchen blog. I now know how to cook pork chops that are not only edible, they’re delicious.
The secret, I discovered, is brining. Submerge the pork chops in salted water for at least half an hour, coat them with flour, then with egg whites mixed with mustard, dip them in seasoned gluten-free bread crumbs, then roast them at 425 degrees F.
The second secret is to make herbed breading out of fresh bread. The bread crumbs will remain large and slightly spongy while roasting, so they won’t drain moisture from the brined pork chops. Fresh herbs and dairy-free parmesan cheese also add moisture to the breading.
I use inch-thick, bone-in pork chops for this recipe. If yours are thinner, cut the roasting time. An instant-read thermometer is essential for preventing overcooking. When the internal temperature reads 150 degrees F, take the pork chops out of the oven, allow them to rest for a few minutes to reabsorb their juices, spritz with fresh lemon juice and serve immediately.
Brined and Breaded Gluten-Free Roast Pork Chops
Brining adds flavor, and a thick, crunchy breaded crust keeps these pork chops juicy while roasting.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup salt (for brining)
- 1 quart water
- 4 pork chops
- 4 slices gluten-free bread
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegan parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons gluten-free flour
- 3 large egg whites
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Lemon wedges for spritzing
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Rinse and dry the pork chops.
In a large bowl, dissolve 1/4 cup salt in 1 quart filtered water.
Submerge the pork chops in the water, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
While the pork chops are brining, make bread crumbs by processing the bread in a food processor for about 30-45 seconds.
Add the shallot, garlic and olive oil, and pulse a few times until blended.
Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Remove the crumbs from oven and allow to cool.
Mix the parmesan, thyme and parsley into the cooled bread crumbs.
Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites with the mustard.
Whisk in 6 tablespoons of flour. Set aside.
In three flat dishes, (I use plastic takeout containers) put 1/4 cup flour in one dish, the egg white mixture in another, and the bread crumbs in a third.
Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator, rinse, and dry with paper towels.
Using tongs, dredge each pork chop in flour, then in the egg white mixture, then in bread crumbs.
Place the breaded pork chops on a wire rack in the middle of a roasting pan.
Roast at 425 degrees F for 17-25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the pork chops reads 150 degrees F.
Remove from oven and let the pork chops rest on the wire rack for 5 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedges and fresh parsley for garnish.
Brining the pork chops in 1/4 cup salt dissolved in a quart of water adds flavor to the meat and keeps the porch chops plump and juicy while baking.
Pulse fresh bread in a blender or food processor until the crumbs are an even size, then add shallot, garlic and olive oil.
Spread the crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until they’re light brown.
Add grated vegan Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley and thyme to the cooled bread crumbs.
Take-out containers are the right size for the coating: flour, egg-mustard mixture and the seasoned bread crumbs.
Place the breaded pork chops on a wire rack in a baking dish for roasting.
The thick breaded crust keeps the pork chops juicy while roasting.
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