- Prep Time: 5 min.
- Cook Time: 35 min.
- Yield: 4 servings
If you’re not in the mood for firing up the grill or for creating a splash by frying, this easy recipe for baked pork chops will warm your tummy and put smiles on your dining companions’ facesIt’s a little reminiscent of the boxed “Shake ‘N Bake” ready mix that was on grocery store shelves when I was a child—minus the MSG and chemical preservatives, plus the magnificent herbs!
Contents
I prefer to dry fresh herbs to use throughout the year; crushing them between your fingers or palms of your hands will release all the beautiful oils, aromas, and healthful constituents of the herbs.
I don’t dry parsley, flat-leafed or curly, because it tends to lose its flavor and aroma rather quickly.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
- 1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano, crushed
- 2 teaspoons dried sage leaves, crushed
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves, crushed
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, very finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, divided into 4 slices
- 4 inch-thick, 8-ounce boneless pork chops
- 1 lemon, quartered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 ºF.
- In a gallon-size resealable plastic freezer bag, shake together the breadcrumbs, Romano cheese, herbs, salt, and pepper. Rinse and pat each pork chop dry.
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with cooking spray, such as canola oil spray.
- Shake and dredge each pork chop in the seasoned bread crumbs and place on the lined baking sheet. Top each of the chops with a pat of butter. This will allow the bread crumb “shake” to brown.
- After 20 minutes, turn over the pork chops. Cook for another 15 minutes. Remove the meat tray from the oven and let it rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, finish preparing and plating your side dishes and accompaniments.
- Enjoy these lovely Shake ‘N Bake Pork Chops with smashed potatoes, baked potatoes, au gratin potatoes, green beans, any salad, corn pudding, corn bread—oh, I could go on forever!
- A dry Riesling or Pilsner beer would pair very nicely with this meal.
