Pan-Fried Pork Chops

So, I am a Southerner. We love fried food. I never actually eat it, but the thought of chicken-fried steak or buttermilk fried chicken certainly makes me think about when I lived in Arkansas and my mom would make chicken fried steak once a year. We would have cream gravy and mashed potatoes. Yumm-o. Since giving up carbs, I have wanted to see if I could make Southern staples without using flour or gluten. Enter Almond Flour. Now, granted this is not the same taste at using flour, but my husband and I liked these pork chops just the same. 

Pan Fried Pork Chops (Serves 2)

2  1-inch pork chops (whatever cut you like. I think mine were center cut)

1  Cup Almond Flour (Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour)

1  Egg

1  Splash of cream or whole milk

1  Splash hot sauce

1/4 Tsp of dried herbs

Salt and Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1) Dry pork chops with paper towel

2) Lightly pound with a mallet to tenderize 

3) Salt and Pepper the chops; Set aside

4) Get out two bowls; one for almond meal and one for egg/milk

5) Whisk one egg in one bowl. Add hot sauce, salt/pepper

6) Pour one cup of almond flour in the second bowl for dredging

7) Put one chop in the egg. Coat both sides. Let the excess drip off

8) Then place the eggy chop in the flour. Press down and then flip, making sure that the flour is on both sides
9) Do the same thing to the other chop. Set aside for up to 15 minutes
10) Using medium heat, heat the oil in a heavy bottom skillet. Only use enough to coat the bottom
11) To test the readiness of the oil, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour into the oil. If is bubbles, it's ready
12) Place chops in the oil and cook until brown on one side (3-4 min). Remember, the chops should bubble in the oil. If they are not bubbling, the heat is too low. Additionally, don't put those chops on high heat. They will burn. Flip when browned. Cook until both sides are browned and the meat is cooked.
13) Use your meat thermometer to test the doneness of the meat. Pork should be pulled at 155-160.
14) Serve with a lemon wedge and whatever side you desire.

These were wonderful. I liked the crunchiness of the crust. In retrospect, I wish I had soaked the chops in buttermilk all day to ensure tenderness or perhaps a brine of equal parts sugar and salt in a bowl of water would have been a good idea. They were fine just the way that they were.  Cheers!