Country Fried Pork Bacon Gravy (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For the pork chops
01 -
4 pork chops, bone-in or boneless, approximately 1.25 cm thick
02 -
240 ml buttermilk (or 240 ml whole milk plus 5 ml vinegar)
03 -
125 g all-purpose flour
04 -
2.5 ml garlic powder
05 -
2.5 ml onion powder
06 -
2.5 ml smoked paprika
07 -
Salt, to taste
08 -
Black pepper, to taste
09 -
Vegetable oil, for shallow frying
→ For the bacon gravy
10 -
4 slices streaky bacon, chopped
11 -
30 ml reserved bacon drippings or unsalted butter
12 -
16 g all-purpose flour
13 -
360 ml whole milk
14 -
Salt, to taste
15 -
Black pepper, generous amount, to taste
# Instructions:
01 -
Pat pork chops thoroughly dry and season both sides with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
02 -
Pour buttermilk into a shallow dish. In a separate shallow dish, combine all-purpose flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
03 -
Dip each pork chop into the buttermilk, ensuring full coverage. Next, press each chop into the seasoned flour mixture, coating evenly and firmly. Let breaded chops rest for a few minutes while heating oil.
04 -
Heat approximately 60 ml of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat to a depth of 0.5 cm. When shimmering, gently lay in pork chops. Fry 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 63°C.
05 -
Transfer fried chops to a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
06 -
In a clean skillet or the same pan with excess oil wiped away, cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving 30 ml bacon fat in the pan.
07 -
Add flour to the bacon drippings and whisk constantly for 1–2 minutes to form a light roux.
08 -
Gradually whisk in whole milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until gravy thickens, about 3–5 minutes. Stir in the reserved bacon. Season generously with black pepper and salt to taste.
09 -
Ladle bacon gravy generously over the fried pork chops and serve immediately.
# Notes:
01 -
For added heat, stir a pinch of cayenne pepper into the seasoned flour mix.
02 -
Fry pork chops in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding and ensure optimal crispiness.