breaded pork chops (entree station)

After pasta station I went to the main entree station, which was a lot of work because of the massive amount of proteins we would work with (though usually portioned by the downstairs meat lab, which is my next and last rotation of this semester). Despite the work, it was still simple because we only had to keep track of only a few elements: protein, sauce, and sometimes a garnish.

My first day on the station we breaded and fried pork chops. The standard breading procedure is done in three steps: first a thin layer of flour to coat, then a dip in an egg bath, then finished off with the breadcrumb coat (the flour helps the egg adhere and the egg helps the breadcrumbs adhere). For the pork chops we seasoned the flour with powdered onion/garlic, salt and pepper - it's not necessary to season all three steps, but you can if you want.



My partner Dustin fried the pork chops in a tilt fryer with a thin layer of oil. By frying I really just mean searing, for that crispy brown layer that looks and tastes appealing (thanks Maillard reaction!).



Then, to ensure the meat inside was cooked, we popped the trays of pork chops into the oven until a thermometer inserted into the chops read 155°F.



To finish, we ladled gravy (veal and chicken stocks thickened with roux) over the chops and garnished with a slice of lemon and a parsley leaf.



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The same technique of sear-and-bake was used on another entree my station made - blackened catfish. The blackened-ness is due to rub of pre-mixed cajun spice that I put over the filets, surprisingly easy and super delicious.

The sauce was just roasted red bell pepper pureed and mixed with mayonnaise. The garnish was chopped scallions. The result? Yum.