Breaded Pork Chops With Fresh Sage Gravy. Once you grow sage in your garden, there’s pretty much no room for anything else. They are hearty plants that are thick and full of beautiful sage leaves in no time but even if you don’t happen to have a monstrous sage bush in your garden, you can pick up a container at the grocery store in the produce department.
Back to the pork chops – one of the best comfort foods in the world.
Breaded Pork Chops With Fresh Sage Gravy
Breaded Pork Chops
- 4-6 pork chops
- Sea salt
- Coarse ground pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Peanut or vegetable oil (for frying)
To prepare pork chops, season on both sides with salt & pepper.
Place the pork chops in the buttermilk (or regular milk & whisk in a teaspoon of vinegar) in a shallow bowl. Coat and cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about an hour.
Place the flour in another shallow bowl.
After the pork chops have marinated, drain the excess buttermilk and coat each with flour.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and which until well-beaten.
Place panko breadcrumbs in a bowl.
Coat the floured pork chops with the eggs. Then coat with the panko breadcrumbs.
Heat some peanut or vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
Place each pork chop in preheated oil.
After the first side is golden brown, flip over carefully to brown the second side. Heat until the middle reaches 145°F. I often get asked how to keep the meat moist in the middle. Normally the fix is simply making sure that your meat reaches the minimum temperature in the middle but doesn’t cook longer than necessary as this is when it becomes dry.
Remove pork chops from pan & set aside.
Minimum Temperatures for Various Kinds of Meat
- Pork = 145°F – 165°F
- Poultry = 165°F – 175°F
- Beef = 120°F – 165°F
- Lamb = 135°F – 165°F
Gravy
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup leftover buttermilk from marinating
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon vegetable, ham, or chicken Better than Bouillon base
- Sea salt
- Coarse ground pepper
Add olive oil (or bacon grease if you happen to have some) to the pan & heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk as the flour cooks for a few minutes.
Pour broth into the roux and continue to stir while gravy reaches a boil then thickens.
Simmer and add the sage. A little broth seasoning works magic with the flavors too. Add the Better Than Bouillon. Taste test to be sure your flavors make your taste buds dance. Add salt & pepper to your liking.
Perfectly perfect served with a side dish and garnished with a sprig of sage AKA as the Peter Brady special: pork chops & apple shaaaauce.