When I was a boy, Mom always had a bottle of buttermilk in the refrigerator. Sometimes she drank it straight up, not my cup of tea, but she used it frequently when baking. Occasionally, I or my wife Nancy use a recipe that calls for buttermilk, like a cobbler she baked recently. Buttermilk is extremely versatile and I’m convinced there should be a pint or so of buttermilk in every chef’s fridge.
Why? It makes the best wash there is when breading meat, such as chicken, fish or pork chops.
I have found that a nice, fat bone-in pork chop is both healthy and delicious if you bake it in the oven, and the best way to do that is dunk the chop in a bowl of buttermilk, dip it into a mixture of bread crumbs and bake at a high temperature to “oven fry” the pork.
I had been using an egg and milk wash, but buttermilk works better. It’s thick, rich and creamy and adds a distinct flavor, and with a buttermilk wash, the breading readily adheres to the meat.
I have also figured out that the best breading for chops and chicken is a 50/50 mixture of breadcrumbs and Panko crumbs. Panko lends a nice crunch and flavor while the plain breadcrumbs help the panko stick better. The combination of buttermilk and Panko makes an ideal breading whether frying in a skillet or oven frying.
Oven baked pork chops have become a staple at our house, and believe it or not, you can actually lose a little weight while enjoying a delicious, oven fried chop.
Start with a cup of buttermilk in a bowl. Dunk the chop in the buttermilk, then in a bowl of the Panko mixture (Panko, bread crumbs, salt and pepper and a touch of Sauer’s Pork Rub) and press firmly on both sides. Bake in a 425 oven for about 25 or 30 minutes, turning once.
The buttermilk/panko combo is also good for chicken and fish. Try it. It’s easy, healthy and delicious.
Buttermilk Pork Chops
2 thick bone-in pork chops (about a half pound each)
1 C buttermilk
½ C Panko crumbs
½ C plain breadcrumbs
Coarse salt and pepper to taste
1 t Sauer’s Pork Rub