Grilled Breaded Pork Chops

I'm always looking for new ways to make pork chops. My favorite way to cook pork chops is on the grill, but I also have a pan fried recipe that uses this amazingly simple Lemon Juice and Herb Marinade. Fabulous flavor, I've made it over and over again!

The other day I was thumbing through The Best of Gourmet 2004 that I picked up at the library and came across this very simple recipe for breaded pork chops cooked on the grill. I was game, so I gave it a go.

Amanda's Notes: It's a great recipe, tastes wonderful, but there's a lot of waste with the olive oil and breading. I halved the recipe and made 4 pork chops, but the amount of breading and oil that I tossed was painful. I think next time I make this I will cut the olive oil by 1/3 and the breading in half. There will still be breading waste, but not nearly as much. I also increased the cheese in the breading. I've included the original recipe below with my notes.

The verdict? yes, I will make this again, only with the adjustments to the oil and breading I've noted above. Delicious!

Grilled Breaded Pork Chops
adapted from The Best of Gourmet 2004

printable version

4 cups fine fresh bread crumbs (from 10 slices firm white sandwich bread)
3/4 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2/3 cup) (I doubled this)
Rounded 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 (3/4- to 1-inch-thick) bone-in center-cut pork chops (4 1/2 lb)
1 cup olive oil (not extra virgin)

Note: I did not do this step as I already had toasted bread crumbs on hand: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread crumbs in a shallow baking pan and toast in oven, stirring once or twice, until dry but not golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Cool bread crumbs completely.

Combine bread crumbs with cheese, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or a 9-inch pie plate.

Lightly season chops with additional salt and pepper.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Put oil in another shallow bowl or 9-inch pie plate. Dip each chop in oil, letting excess drip off, then dredge both sides of chop in bread-crumb mixture, pressing gently to help crumbs adhere, and transfer to baking sheet.

Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas). Grill chops on well-oiled grill rack (be sure to oil the grates before you start the fire), covered only if using gas grill, turning over once or twice, until pork is cooked through and crumbs are golden brown, about 10 minutes total.

Tip from Amanda: To avoid overcooked, dried out pork chops, use a meat thermometer inserted in the center of the chop from the side to check for doneness. Pork's internal temperature should be 160 degrees, according to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.