Pounded Pork Chops
These pounded pork chops are my delicious answer to a lifelong problem: my remarkable talent for drying out perfectly innocent pork chops. Thin, golden, crispy cutlets with a quick mustard and white wine pan gravy? Now THAT is my idea of pork chop happiness!
I have an ongoing love/hate relationship with pork chops. The love part is that they are scrumptious when I manage to cook them well. The hate part? I have a special talent for turning even the plumpest, juiciest-looking pork chop into something dry.
So I was delighted to discover that pounding pork chops thin, almost like chicken cutlets, makes all the difference. They cook in a flash, stay tender when cooked just right, and come with the added bonus of letting me pound out the frustrations of the day. All that in one pork chop recipe!
Jump to:
- 🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- ⭐ Why this recipe works
- 🥣 Ingredients you need
- 📝 Ingredient notes
- 💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
- 👩🍳 How to make this recipe
- 🤔 Recipe FAQs
- 🍳 Equipment you need
- 🍽️ What to serve with pounded pork chops
- ❤️ Let’s make pounded pork chops!
- Pounded Pork Chops
- ✨ Variations
- 🥩 More pork recipes to love!
- 💌 Get more easy recipes!
🔎 A quick look at this recipe
🥩 What It Is: Tender, golden breaded pork cutlets topped with a scrumptious mustard and white wine pan gravy.
⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
🍳 Cook Time: 10 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 25 minutes
🍽️ Servings: 2 servings
🔢 Calories: 832 per serving
🔥 Method: Pounded, breaded and quickly sautéed in a skillet, with a simple pan gravy.
💕 Good For: Easy family suppers, pork chop skeptics, and anyone who loves a crispy cutlet with plenty of gravy!
⭐ Why this recipe works
- Even thickness: Pounding the cutlets helps them cook evenly and quickly.
- Crispy coating: Flour, egg and breadcrumbs create a golden crust.
- Easy pan gravy: Mustard and white wine add flavor to the skillet drippings.
- A little stress relief: Pounding pork chops is surprisingly satisfying!
🥣 Ingredients you need
📝 Ingredient notes
- Boneless pork chops: Thick chops work well for butterflying into thin cutlets.
- Flour, eggs and breadcrumbs: The three-part breading gives the chops their golden crust.
- Mustard: Adds tang to the pan gravy.
- White wine: Helps loosen the flavorful browned bits from the skillet.
💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
Need to make a swap? These handy tools can help you find an ingredient substitution that works for your kitchen.
👩🍳 How to make this recipe
Step 1: Carefully butterfly each thick boneless pork chop by slicing horizontally like opening a book. Leave attached or cut into two separate cutlets.
Step 2: Place cutlets between pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound to an even thickness, about ¼ inch.
Step 3: Set out shallow dishes of flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Coat each cutlet in that order.
Step 4: Sauté in the skillet as directed in the recipe card until golden, roughly two minutes per side depending on thickness. Check for an internal temperature of 145°F, then rest three minutes. Tent loosely with foil.
Step 5: Make the mustard and white wine pan gravy with the skillet drippings and remaining ingredients as directed in the recipe card. Scrape up the flavorful browned bits.
Step 6: Spoon the gravy over the pork chops and serve!
Kate’s Tip: The secret is an even thickness and a short cooking time. Use a thermometer instead of relying on the clock, because thin cutlets can overcook quickly.
🤔 Recipe FAQs
Pounding pork chops gives them an even thickness, which helps them cook quickly and evenly. That’s especially important with lean boneless pork chops, which can dry out if they spend too long in the skillet. I like to place mine between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound them to about ¼ inch thick. As an added bonus, there’s something wonderfully satisfying about taking a meat pounder to your supper!
The secret is to start with evenly pounded cutlets and keep a close eye on the cooking time. Because these pork chops are so thin, they need only a few minutes in a hot skillet. Cook until the center reaches 145°F, then let them rest for three minutes. An instant-read thermometer is your best friend here, although getting an accurate reading in very thin cutlets can take a little care.
Make sure the pork chops are fairly dry before you begin, and follow the three-step breading process: flour first, then beaten egg, and finally breadcrumbs. Shake off any excess flour and gently press the breadcrumbs onto the pork. Once the cutlets are in the skillet, resist the temptation to move them around too much. Giving the coating time to turn golden helps it stay right where it belongs.
These pork chops are at their crispy best right after cooking, but you can do some of the preparation ahead. Butterfly and pound the pork chops earlier in the day, then keep them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook. You can also measure out the breading ingredients ahead of time. I recommend breading and cooking the cutlets just before serving so that wonderful golden coating stays crisp.
If you’d rather skip the wine, try using a little extra chicken broth with a small squeeze of lemon juice for brightness. The flavor won’t be exactly the same, but you’ll still have a lovely savory pan gravy. Be sure to scrape up those delicious browned bits from the skillet as the liquid simmers, because that’s where so much of the flavor comes from!
Pop your question in the Comments section below and I will answer pronto!
🍳 Equipment you need
A sharp knife, meat pounder, plastic wrap, three shallow dishes, a sturdy skillet and an instant-read thermometer will make this easy as can be.
🍽️ What to serve with pounded pork chops
I served mine with roasted string beans with walnuts, but next time I am absolutely adding brown butter mashed potatoes. That gravy practically begs for mashed potatoes!
❤️ Let’s make pounded pork chops!
Ready for crispy, golden pork chops with a wonderful little pan gravy? Grab your meat pounder and let’s make supper. No pork chop fear allowed!
Pounded Pork Chops
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 one inch thick boneless pork chops
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Slice the pork chops horizontally almost all the way through, and open them up like you are opening a book. Place between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound until they are about 1/4 inch thick.
- Dredge the pork chops in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.
- Heat one tablespoon of butter and all the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry the chops for 2 minutes per side, then remove and keep warm while you make the gravy.
- Add 2 tablespoons flour to the skillet. Whisk in the wine and broth and simmer until reduced a little.
- Whisk in the remaining butter and the mustard.
- Spoon over the pork chops and garnish with parsley,
✨ Variations
- Extra crunch: Try panko breadcrumbs.
- Fresh herbs: Sprinkle with parsley or thyme.
- Mustard variation: Try Dijon or whole-grain mustard in the gravy.
- Chicken option: Thin chicken cutlets can use the same breading method; cook to 165°F.
🥩 More pork recipes to love!
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! Leave a star rating and tell us all about it in the comments section below.
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i HATE dry pork chops, and have really accepted it as inevitable. this is a great idea, with the added bonus of taking some aggression out on some meat! :)
We don’t have to settle for dry pork chops! #neveragain
Brine thick pork chops first. No more tough ones.
Thank you!! Definitely going to try this. :)
Oh I am so bad at drying pork out. I never make it for that reason. It’s ridiculous. I have to give this a try. And thanks for the book suggestion. I have a “to read” list that’s a mile long, but I’m always looking for new books anyway!
Oooooh! I am guilty of dried out, over cooked pork chops. But this looks like something I can handle to break that curse! I got a couple of new cast iron skillets for mother’s day so this would be a great “breaking in” meal for them! Thanks for another great and inspiring meal idea, Kate!
I have trouble with drying out pork chops, too…something I need to get better with! These pounded ones look so good! Love the white wine and mustard in here!