Crunchy Baked Pork Chops


This isn't exactly the quickest way to make pork chops, but if you've got a little extra time, I think you'll be impressed. Bowled over, even!

Ingredients:

4 boneless center-cut pork chops, 6 to 8 ounces each, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat.

1 sleeve Ritz crackers crushed

1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tbsp)

3 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

ground black pepper

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp dried parsley

1/4 cup plus 6 tbsp all-purpose flour

3 large egg whites

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp lemon juice

Procedure:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Crush Ritz Crackers in a gallon Zip Lock Bag (you should have about 3 1/2 cups crumbs). Transfer crumbs to rimmed baking sheet and add shallot, garlic, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss until crumbs are evenly coated with oil. Bake until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. (Do not turn off oven.) Cool to room temperature. Toss crumbs with Parmesan, thyme, and parsley.
3. Place 1/4 cup flour in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until combined; add remaining 6 tablespoons flour and whisk until almost smooth, with pea-sized lumps remaining.4. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Season chops with pepper. Dredge 1 pork chop in flour; shake off excess. Using tongs, coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of chop with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to chop. Transfer breaded chop to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 chops.5. Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 150 degrees, 17 to 25 minutes. Let rest on rack 5 minutes before sprinkle with lemon juice.


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