Dijon Crusted Pork Chops

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The other night I baked pork chops with a Dijon crust. After dipping the thin chops is a Dijon mustard and mayonnaise sauce, I dredged them in Panko bread crumbs. The chops were good. But the soggy crush slipped right off the chops when I removed them from the baking dish.

The top crust browned fairly well around the edges of each pork chop. The center was soggy disappointed me. My guess is the sauce pooled in the center of each chop. A messy experience indeed!

The subtle flavor of the Dijon-infused crust impressed me. The sauce, tempered with the richness of the mayonnaise and sweetness from the apple juice, contrasted the herb-flavored Panko bread crumbs very well.

This recipe was definitely a keeper. I got the idea from a U.S. Armed Forces Recipe Service recipe card. (I’ve said in the past that these recipes are ideal for any volume operation that’s looking for basic quantity recipes. You do need to test each recipe before adapting it to your menu.)

I found the recipe for Dijon baked pork chops Tuesday afternoon in my computer recipe file. I needed to do something with three pork chops that were sitting in the refrigerator. The Dijon crusted pork chop appealed to me with the marriage of distinct flavors and textures.

After dipping the pork chops in the Dijon sauce, the recipe instructed the cook to dredge it in bread crumbs and set them on lightly oiled sheet pans. Military cooks use convection ovens today. The blast of dry, hot air quickly browns the crust. The bottom crust even browns as heat is conducted up through the thin skin of the aluminum sheet pans.

Although the recipe for Dijon baked pork chops might work in an institutional setting, my challenge was to re-work the recipe for a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.

Instead of baking the pork chop in the sometimes unpredictable heat of a Dutch oven, I elected to cook the in a skillet. I first dredged the pork chops in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Next came a quick dip in a thinner Dijon mustard sauce. I found that you need to let the excess sauce drain from the chop.

To finish, I dredged the pork chops in bread crumb and herb mixture and placed them in hot fat. Do not crown more that four chops in a 10-inch skillet. I also reduced the heat to medium after pre-heating the skillet over medium-high heat. This gave the crust time to brown and thoroughly cook without burning. And it cooked the pork chop to a nice medium to medium-well doneness.

DIJON CRUSTED PORK CHOPS

Panko bread crumbs are used in Japanese cooking for coating fried foods. They’re ideal for breading because they create a deliciously crunchy crust. Locate Panko bread crumbs in the Asian isle of the supermarket. About 1/4 cup bread crumbs are needed for each pork chop.

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple juice (or chicken broth)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
4 center-cup pork chops, about 5 ounces each

Combine flour, salt and pepper on a plate. Combine mustard, mayonnaise and apple juice or broth in a bowl. Combine bread crumbs, parsley and thyme on a plate. Pre-heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Heat about 2 tablespoons oil in skillet.

Dredge pork chops in flour to coat. Then dip pork chops in mustard sauce and drain off excess. Dredge in bread crumb mixture. Place chops in skillet and cook until nicely browned, about 5 to 8 minutes per side. Add additional oil as needed to brown chops. Adjust heat under skillet to prevent burning.