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Prep Time2 hours including marinating time
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Cook Time10 minutes
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Serving4
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There’s a Chinese take-out place on Veterans called Hot Wok, and it is surprisingly good. Their vegetable fried rice has a lovely smoky quality and when I cook a Chinese dish I like to pick up a carton of it to serve on the side. But these Salt & Pepper Pork Chops are inspired more by Ms. Shirley’s salt and pepper dishes, especially her Salt & Pepper Soft Shell Crabs which were delicious when her restaurant was just across Vets from Hot Wok (and right down the street from me). I love twice-fried dishes because you can stage your mise en place, do the first fry and then time the second fry and last minute assembly according to your movie schedule. I realize not everyone wants to make an entire evening out of cooking one dish… but I do! Last night while I was putting this dish together, I watched Pig (2021) with Nicholas Cage. And, while Cage was harvesting truffles and cooking gorgeous French food, a far cry from my simple Asian Salt & Pepper dish, his performance drew me in and the movie was a great backdrop for an evening spent chopping, marinating, frying, cooking, tasting, sipping… and occasionally distributing animal crackers to my happy little pack. It was a perfect evening, and this is a perfect dish. If you agree that food is love, watch Pig and try not to cry.
There’s a Chinese take-out place on Veterans called Hot Wok, and it is surprisingly good. Their vegetable fried rice has a lovely smoky quality and when I cook a Chinese dish I like to pick up a carton of it to serve on the side. But these Salt & Pepper Pork Chops are inspired more by Ms. Shirley’s salt and pepper dishes, especially her Salt & Pepper Soft Shell Crabs which were delicious when her restaurant was just across Vets from Hot Wok (and right down the street from me). I love twice-fried dishes because you can stage your mise en place, do the first fry and then time the second fry and last minute assembly according to your movie schedule. I realize not everyone wants to make an entire evening out of cooking one dish… but I do! Last night while I was putting this dish together, I watched Pig (2021) with Nicholas Cage. And, while Cage was harvesting truffles and cooking gorgeous French food, a far cry from my simple Asian Salt & Pepper dish, his performance drew me in and the movie was a great backdrop for an evening spent chopping, marinating, frying, cooking, tasting, sipping… and occasionally distributing animal crackers to my happy little pack. It was a perfect evening, and this is a perfect dish. If you agree that food is love, watch Pig and try not to cry.
Ingredients
Salt & Pepper Pork Chops
Marinade
Oil for Frying
Finishing Seasoning Salt
Directions
You will need your deep Dutch oven to deep fry the chops, as well as your wok to stir fry the garlic and peppers and finish the dish. Have your garlic, scallions and peppers chopped and ready to go.
First whisk together the marinade in a deep enough bowl to accommodate the chops. Mix the marinade and chops with your hands, and stick in the frig for at least an hour, then pull out the bowl and let the chill come off the chops for about another 20 minutes on the counter top.
While you are heating the oil, whisk the egg lightly, and have a plate dusted with cornstarch ready.
Add the whisked egg to the pork chop marinade and coat the chops. Then lightly dredge the chops in the cornstarch.
The first fry is at about 350 to 360 degrees for just a few minutes. Then remove the chops to a rack and drain them.
Second fry: Get the oil really hot - at least 380 degrees. Then fry the chops for the second time until brown and crispy. Remove them to the rack.
Now remove that Dutch oven with the hot oil to the side. Be careful! You need to heat up your wok now. When it is almost smoking, swirl some oil in it, and then stir fry the garlic, scallions and peppers. When those are done, toss in the chops at the last minute.
Sprinkle the salt and pepper seasoning dust over the chops in the wok. Give them a few good stirs. Serve over white rice with some additional sliced peppers if you like. You might want to sprinkle a bit more seasoning dust over them (optional).
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