To feed your family or guests, you don’t need to invent anything special. What could be better than a juicy, well-fried piece of meat served with grilled vegetables, slices of baked potatoes or another side dish?
If the hostess knows how to cook soft pork chops, she can serve a delicious dish at any time.
Soft Pork Chops - General Cooking Principles
Successful chops are soft, juicy, have a beautiful shape and harmonious aroma.
The main thing is to buy good meat, from which you can cut pieces of the desired size and thickness. However, it is equally important to properly fry them, not to spoil them. Here much depends on culinary experience and knowledge of the theory. How to cook soft pork chops?
Here are the rules to keep in mind:
• The best parts of pork for frying are the scapula, the ham or the loin. Both fillet and pulp with a bone are suitable (it will give a special flavor to the dish);
• fillet should not be cut too thin, but not very thick. The ideal chop thickness is 1.5 cm;
• chop size depends on the size of the piece, the ideal chop - with a human hand;
• veins, films found in a meat “flat cake” must be cut in several places (focus on the size of the chop), pointing the knife blade obliquely at an angle of 45 °. If this is not done, the vein, when heated, contracts and spoils the chop shape;
• Beating meat, it is important not to overdo it. Broken in a lace meat cake will not work juicy and soft, overdried.
Before cutting, don’t wash the meat, just wipe it with a napkin. Each chunk is important to repel. The strength should be sufficient to soften the fibers, but not excessive so as not to grind them into lace. It is more convenient for a beginner to work with a wooden hammer. If the meat is old or the piece is not too successful (in this fillet, coarse, thick fibers will be visible), then the force of the blows can be increased. Tender meat must be handled accordingly - gently.
Before frying, do not salt the meat. The fact is that salt draws meat juice, dries the meat. If you are planning a classic chop, without spices, marinades, batter, then you can pepper it before frying, and salt it on a plate. Another option: salt the chop on one side and immediately put this side in hot oil. When the bottom is cooked, salt the top and immediately turn the hunk over.
The chop is fried after the meat has acquired room temperature, and the oil in the pan is heated until a haze appears. The high frying temperature will provide instant "sealing" of the meat juice inside the chop, and the room temperature of the meat will ensure uniform cooking. This is the main answer to the question of how to cook soft pork chops.
As for pickling, it is desirable. Especially if the piece is not too successful, harsh. Chops can be marinated in spices, dried herbs, mustard, oil, tomato paste. In general, experiments are appropriate.
You can cook chops both in a pan by frying, and in the oven by baking. You can combine the process: fry the meat on both sides to form a crust, and then send the pieces to the oven so that they “reach” and become soft. As a rule, it takes about four minutes to fry one side of the piece.
Soft pork chops with herbs
The classic chop has the aroma of fresh fresh meat. It is not easy to get it, so you can use some spicy herbs that go well with pork and improve its taste.
Ingredients:
• 3-4 pork chop;
• four tablespoons of vegetable oil;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• sprig of rosemary;
• a ready-made mixture of Provencal herbs or other herbs to your taste, including fresh ones.
Cooking method:
Grease the prepared pieces of meat with vegetable oil, sprinkle with Provencal herbs and leave for marinating for half an hour.
Crush the garlic with the tip of a knife.
Pour the remaining oil into a skillet, put on maximum heat.
Throw garlic and rosemary into the oil. Fry until the oil is hot, then remove and discard.
Put the chops in the garlic oil, fry on both sides until crusted.
Check the meat for readiness, put in a plate.
Cover with another plate or piece of food foil, let stand for about five minutes and serve.
Soft pork chops with mustard and garlic
Mustard marinade is one of the most affordable and delicious. It goes well with any meat. If it is not clear how to cook soft pork chops of not the first freshness, it is mustard in combination with garlic that will cope with the task best.
Ingredients:
• a piece of pork meat weighing 600-700 grams;
• two tablespoons of finished mustard;
• three cloves of garlic;
• a third glass of vegetable oil.
Cooking method:
Cut the meat into the desired size slices and beat off.
Let the garlic through a press or grate.
Grease each chop first with mustard, then with garlic puree.
Heat the butter in a thick-bottomed pan and lay the chops.
Fry each piece until a crust appears on both sides over high heat.
Having reduced the heat, bring the chops to readiness, making sure that the crust does not overcook.
Stuffed pork chops in the oven with mushrooms and tomatoes
Chopped meat is not necessary to fry in a pan. If this is impossible or you just want to learn a new way, the oven can replace the stove. How to cook soft pork chops this way?
Ingredients:
• pork fillet weighing 500-600 grams;
• two large tomatoes;
• three hundred grams of fresh mushrooms;
• two cloves of garlic;
• two tablespoons of vegetable oil;
• lemon;
• salt;
• a mixture of peppers;
• a pinch of thyme.
Cooking method:
Gently slice the meat into slices and prepare the chops.
Sprinkle the slices with pepper, thyme, rub the mixture and leave the meat alone for half an hour.
Wash fresh mushrooms, dry and cut into slices.
Pour mushrooms with a small amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Peel the tomato, scalded with boiling water, and cut into pieces.
Chop the garlic with a knife or pass through a press.
Mix mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, salt, add herbs or spices to taste.
Heat the pan, fry the meat on both sides until a delicious crust forms.
Cover the shape or baking sheet with foil folded in two layers.
Lay the chops on the foil.
Arrange tomato and mushroom filling on each piece of meat.
Cover with a second piece of foil, seal the edges.
Stew meat in an oven preheated to 160 ° for about half an hour.
Soft pork chops in batter
To make the meat soft and to maintain juiciness will help the batter from eggs, flour and milk. Just such a batter is one of the secrets of how to cook soft pork chops.
Ingredients:
• a seven-gram piece of pork loin or ham;
• five eggs;
• half a glass of oil;
• a glass of milk;
• a glass of white flour;
• salt and pepper to your taste.
Cooking method:
From a piece of pork meat cut into slices for beating.
Heat oil.
Grate meat with salt and pepper and fry immediately.
Put the meat in a plate.
Prepare a batter: beat eggs with salt, pour in the rate of milk and beat again.
Add flour to the egg-milk mixture, mix thoroughly. Break all the lumps.
Heat the oil again.
Dip warm chops in batter and fry until the coat is browned.
Stuffed Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops
It happens that the traditional chop recipe bothers or wants culinary experiments. You can learn in advance how to cook soft pork chops with cheese filling inside and try to repeat this unusual dish.
Ingredients:
• four chops prepared for frying;
• three tablespoons of vegetable oil;
• a piece of cheese weighing 100-150 grams;
• salt and pepper to your taste.
Cooking method:
Grate each piece of beaten pork with pepper and season with salt to taste.
Cut the meat horizontally with a long, sharp knife to make a pocket.
Grate or finely chop the cheese.
Insert the cheese mixture into the slot on the chop, stab with a wooden skewer or a toothpick.
Heat the oil.
Fry chops over high heat until grilled barrels are formed.
Reduce the heat to a minimum and hold the chops in the pan until cooked for 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pieces.
Soft pork chops in honey and apple sauce
An unusual recipe for chopped meat in sweet and sour caramel glaze should be added to your cookbook. How to cook soft pork chops with this unusual recipe? Very simple.
Ingredients:
• four finished chops;
• two tablespoons of honey;
• two apples, sweet and sour;
• three tablespoons of vegetable oil;
• salt to your taste;
• half a teaspoon of black pepper.
Cooking method:
Grate slices of pork with pepper and salt.
Heat vegetable oil in a pan.
Fry chops on both sides, put in a plate.
Cut the skin from apples, cut the core, cut into slices.
Fry apple slices in a pan, push to the edges of the dishes.
Return the meat to the pan, spread the apples on top of the pork.
Pour the meat with honey, pour half a glass of water.
Simmer the chops with a lid for about fifteen minutes.
Arrange on plates and pour honey sauce.
How to Make Soft Pork Chops - Tips and Tricks
The most delicious chops are obtained from tender pink pork. A thin, not thicker than 5 mm, layer of white fat from one edge of the chop is allowed.
If you wash the meat before frying, then it will be impossible to get a crust. Too wet meat is stewed, not fried. How to cook soft pork chops if you had to wash it? Get wet well with napkins.
To check if the oil in the pan is hot enough, you can throw a match there without the sulfur cap. If bubbles formed around her instantly, it’s time to fry the meat, the oil is heated.
When frying the chops, do not cover the pan with a lid. In this case, the meat will drain juice and the chops will be spoiled.
