An Old Favorite Worth Bringing Back
This recipe started with some leftover rye breadcrumbs and my determination to find something delicious to coat with them. Pork chops seemed like the perfect place to begin.
It was also the end of summer, so I had been doing quite a bit of pickling and had plenty of pickle brine in the refrigerator. Rye and pickles are such a natural pairing that using the brine to make gravy for the pork chops simply made sense.
And it worked even better than I imagined.
I recently baked an entire loaf of rye bread just so I could turn it into breadcrumbs and make these pork chops again. I had not prepared them in a couple of years, but one bite reminded me exactly why this recipe has always been one of my favorites.
Why Rye and Pickle Brine Work Together
Rye bread has a deep, earthy flavor that gives the pork chops far more character than an ordinary breadcrumb coating. When the chops are pan-fried, the rye breadcrumbs become golden and crisp while retaining their distinctive flavor.
The pickle brine brings acidity to an otherwise rich dish. It balances the fried coating, butter, and buttermilk while tying the gravy back to the rye bread. Dijon mustard and hot sauce add depth without overpowering the tangy pickle flavor.
The result is familiar enough to feel like an old-fashioned breaded pork chop dinner but different enough to be memorable.
Making Rye Breadcrumbs
Homemade rye breadcrumbs are an excellent way to use bread that is beginning to dry out. Tear the bread into pieces and allow it to dry before processing it into crumbs. Slightly dry bread produces a lighter, more even crumb than very soft, fresh bread.
You can also dry the bread pieces in a low oven if you do not have time to leave them out. Let them cool completely before placing them in the food processor.
If you only have a small amount of rye bread, combine it with plain bread and add caraway seeds while processing the crumbs. Caraway is not what makes rye bread rye, but it provides the familiar flavor many people associate with a traditional seeded rye loaf.
Rye Pork Chops with Pickle Juice Gravy
Equipment
- 1 12-inch cast iron or heavy bottom pan.
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in center-cut pork chops, ½ to ¾ inch thick
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dill pickle brine, for brining
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup rye breadcrumbs
- Avocado oil, or beef tallow, enough to fill the skillet approximately ¼ inch deep
- 1 tbsp butter
Gravy
- 3 Tbsp Butter
- 3 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dill pickle brine
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp Hot sauce
- 1/2 tsp pinch of kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
Instructions
- Place the pork chops in a shallow glass or other nonreactive container. Pour 1 cup of pickle brine over the chops, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour, turning them halfway through if they are not completely submerged.Remove the pork chops from the brine and discard the used brine. Pat the chops thoroughly dry with paper towels.Place the unbleached all-purpose flour in a shallow dish and season it with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon white pepper. Place the beaten eggs in a second shallow dish. Combine the rye breadcrumbs and the remaining ¼ teaspoon white pepper in a third shallow dish.Dredge each pork chop in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Dip it into the beaten eggs, allowing the excess to drip away, and then press it firmly into the rye breadcrumbs to coat both sides.Place the breaded pork chops on a wire rack and allow the coating to rest for 10 minutes. This helps the breading adhere during cooking.Add enough avocado oil to fill a large cast-iron skillet approximately ¼ inch deep. Add 1 tablespoon butter and heat over medium heat until the oil is hot but not smoking.Add the pork chops without crowding the skillet, working in batches if necessary. Cook for approximately 3 minutes on the first side and 2 to 3 minutes on the second side, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the rye coating from becoming too dark. Cook until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.Transfer the cooked pork chops to a clean wire rack and allow them to rest while you prepare the gravy.Carefully pour the frying oil from the skillet. Remove any excessively dark crumbs, but leave the flavorful browned bits behind.Return the skillet to medium heat and add 3 tablespoons butter. Once melted, sprinkle in 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour. Whisk continuously and cook for 1 minute.Gradually pour in 1 cup of fresh pickle brine while whisking continuously. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken.Reduce the heat to medium-low. Slowly whisk in the buttermilk, followed by the Dijon mustard, hot sauce, and white pepper. Cook at a gentle simmer for approximately 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not allow the gravy to boil vigorously.Taste the gravy before adding any salt, as the pickle brine may provide all the salt it needs. Serve the gravy alongside or spooned over the rye-coated pork chops.