My grandmas’ pork chops were unmatched! She would make her pork chops on “I-oy” night which is a very famous 12 Tomatoes recipe of mine– and still my favorite pasta to make. She kept her recipes very simple and this recipe is not her exact replica, but it’s the closest thing I remember about her chops. These are amazing! I Oy Recipe here.

Growing up, pork chop night was never my favorite night because it was always tough and no amount of ketchup could fix that. Pork chops are a lean cut that don’t hold much moisture, so I always find it’s easier to cook large chops than small. It cooks and browns more evenly. Cook these chops to 140°F exactly and let them rest to cook to a perfect tender. Most people don’t know, but pork chops should be a slight pink to retain maximum juiciness.

I know one thing, and one thing only about my family when they cook meats. The secret is in only using three ingredients. Salt, pepper, and garlic. Using that formula, we have these breaded pork chops. No tricks, just simple fresh ingredients and an old school seasoning technique.

These pork chops come out of the oven perfuming the air with fresh garlic and caramelized breadcrumbs. It’s intoxicating! Recapping what we’ve learned from Nonna. 1. There’s no reason to not splurge on some big juicy pork chops and 2. Sometimes the simplest ways of seasoning and approaching a cut of meat is simply salt, pepper, and garlic. The best chefs keep their recipes simple and approachable. I’m happy to share my families wisdom with you in this recipe.