Fried pork chops with gravy is a beloved traditional Southern dish, but what if we made something similar with Asian flavors? This has been on my mind ever since we had dinner at The Olde Pink House restaurant in Savannah, the third stop on our road trip (scroll down for photos, and also check out our stay in Annapolis eating crab cakes)!
Southerners definitely know how to eat! Pork dipped in flour and fried until crispy, served with collard greens and a large spoonful of gooey mac and cheese on the side. It’s comfort food at its best, and you can’t go wrong with tradition right?
Every once in a while, adding some Asian flavors into the mix is a most excellent idea, and I know my better half would concur. So here it is, my version of Fried Pork Chops…the perfect Southern/Asian fusion comfort food!
If you want to go Asian all the way, then there is always the Peking Pork Chops or the Cantonese favorite, Salt and Pepper Pork Chops!
Recipe Instructions:
Place pork chops in a bowl, add all of the marinade ingredients (five spice powder, garlic powder, baking soda, sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, shaoxing wine, and cornstarch), and mix well. The cornstarch should provide some body to the marinating liquid so the flavors stick to the chops. Set aside for at least 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a large cast iron pan to 350 degrees F. Make the dredge by combining the flour, pepper (both white pepper and black pepper), and salt in a shallow bowl. Dredge each pork chop with the flour mixture. Place the pork chops in the oil 2 at a time to fry for about 4 minutes on each side or until crispy and golden brown. Place your fried pork chops on paper towels to drain. Serve with greens and iced tea!
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Recipe
Fried Pork Chops with an Asian Twist
Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 4 pork shoulder chops (about 3/4 inch thick, washed and pat dry)
- 2 cups oil (for frying)
For the marinade:
- 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Hoisin sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the flour mixture:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place pork chops in a bowl, add all of the marinade ingredients, and mix well. The cornstarch should provide some body to the marinating liquid so the flavors stick to the chops. Set aside for at least 1 hour.
- Heat the oil in a large cast iron pan to 350 degrees F. Make the dredge by combining the flour, pepper (both kinds), and salt in a shallow bowl. Dredge each pork chop with the flour mixture.
- Place the pork chops in the oil 2 at a time to fry for about 4 minutes on each side or until crispy and golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain. Serve with greens and iced tea!
Nutrition Facts
And here’s a little more on our trip to Savannah!
On the way to Savannah, we spent a day and a night in Charleston. After a few frantic phone calls, we found a room in the Indigo Inn which is perfectly located in the center of town (with convenient parking too boot!).
Charleston is a great place to walk around for a day, shop, and eat. There are plenty of restaurants and bars serving all kinds of food, including southern fare at Poogan’s Porch like fried green tomatoes and southern fried chicken.
We visited Middleton Place, which was definitely worth the half day we spent there. Be prepared to do some walking, since the grounds were beautiful but vast. Lucky for us, we visited in the spring and the weather was still cool and pleasant. We also stopped by the plantation restaurant in the afternoon for a coffee and a slice of–my favorite–Southern pecan pie. In all honesty, long touristy walks in parks, museums, and, yes, plantations, are infinitely better with a piece of pie and a cup of coffee waiting at the end.
We also spent a half day driving around the historic district of Savannah and walking through the local farmer’s market at Forsyth Park. After that, we had an early dinner at The Olde Pink House Restaurant, a landmark restaurant in the middle of Savannah’s historic district, and the home of the Southern fried pork chop special that inspired this dish.
The next morning, we had a delicious brunch at Papillote, easily the best breakfast of our trip. It was highly rated on Yelp, and we would definitely recommend it. Without Yelp, Judy and I probably would have gone hungry for most of the trip! After a quick morning visit to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, we were on the road again to Florida and Key West!
