Cracker Crumb Pork Chops (The Sexier Pork Chop)

I love crackers and I love fried pork chops so these cracker crumb pork chops may be my favorite pork chop recipe.

If you have been following this blog a really long time, you may recall a recipe for Sexy Pork Chops. It was an extremely popular recipe and I think a lot of it had to do with the title. What can I say, sex even sells pork chop recipes!

Not long after, in June 2013, I decided to introduce this recipe as the “Sexier Pork Chop”. However, it wasn’t as popular as I had hoped. So today I am reintroducing this recipe to give these pork chops the love and attention that they deserve.

I created this pork chop recipe so long ago that I don’t even remember what kitchen I was in, but I’m pretty sure it may go back to the days of living in Virginia Beach.

Regardless of this recipe’s history or when this recipe was created, one thing is for certain, THEY ARE SCRUMPTIOUS!

So let’s get down to it, shall we?

What are Cracker Crumb Pork Chops?

Cracker crumb pork chops are tender juicy pork chops coated in a crispy cracker crumb breading made of minced sweet onions, seasoned with a sweet smoky and slightly spicy blend of herbs and spices.

There are 4 components that make up these delicious pork chops: the pork chop, the crackers, the onion, and seasoning. Let’s go over each component to get a better understanding of where the flavor profile comes from:

The Pork Chops:

When fried, the buttery cracker crumbs tend to brown fairly quickly. I found that boneless center cut pork chops work best for this recipe. Center cut pork chops are also known as New York Pork Chops (sometimes can be referred to as “America’s Cut”). They tend to be pretty darn near perfect in size and shape. This allows them to cook evenly, and it doesn’t take long for them to cook. Which means the cracker crumbs won’t burn before they are done cooking.

Look for center cut pork chops that are ½ to 1-inch thick. Those work the best for even cooking.

The Crackers:

For this recipe, I use the Original Keebler Townhouse Crackers to make the cracker crumb breading. To be honest, I think this was the only version available when I first started making this recipe. There are numerous flavors and styles of Townhouse Crackers now, but you will want the original light and buttery crackers to make these pork chops.

The Onion:

I use a sweet onion variety, such as Vidalia or Mayan, when making these pork chops. Sweet onions are less pungent than regular onions and actually do taste a little sweeter than other varieties.

When eating the pork chops the sweet onion provides little sweet pops of goodness. However, it is very important to mince the onion up so that it isn’t too heavy to stick to the pork chops.

It is worth noting that the onion should be chopped by hand. Sweet onions have more water content than regular onions, and therefore I do not recommend using a chopping appliance to mince the onion. I have tried using an electric chopper. It makes the onion to mushy and it doesn’t mix well with the cracker crumbs.

The Spices:

Finally, let’s talk about spices. I feel like the spice blend used for these pork chops is kind of like the secret weapon, taking them from buttery cracker crumbs to FREAKIN’ FANTASTIC SCRUMPTIOUSNESS!

The spices used to bread the pork chops include brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and cayenne pepper. If this spice blend sounds familiar, it is because the same spices can are found in our Pork Rub. However, the pork chops require less brown sugar because of the sweetness of the crackers and onions. I think the addition of cayenne pepper is amazing as it gives you just a touch of warmth on the finish. Don’t be afraid of the cayenne used. Embrace it or you’ll miss out here.

How To Make Cracker Crumb Pork Chops

First, combine the spices together, making sure that the brown sugar does not clump. I usually put the spices in a small container with a lid and shake them to combine. If clumps form, you can press them out with a whisk or spoon.

For best results, use a mortar and pestle to blend the spices together. I love my Jamie Oliver mortar and pestle. It stays on our kitchen counter and David and I use it all the time! [Get one HERE.]

Next, mince the onions, by chopping the onions by hand as much as you can. Click HERE to see what minced onions look like.

Combine the cracker crumb breading:

Now the fun part! Empty one and a half sleeves of crackers into a gallon size zip-top bag. Seal tightly, pressing out most of the air from the bag. Crush up the crackers into fine crumbs using a mallet or the back of a pan. Continue to crush up the crackers until you have uniform size bits of crumbs. You should have about 1 ½ cups of cracker crumbs.

After the cracker crumbs are made, pour in the seasoning mixture and add the onions to the bag. Zip the bag and toss well to incorporate. Use your hands to massage the crumbs to work out any clumps that may form.

Make a breading station:

Now, create a breading station for the pork chops: one bowl with flour, one bowl with the slightly beaten egg and one bowl with the cracker crumb breading.

First, dip one of the pork chops into the flour and flip it over a couple of times. Coat all sides of the pork chop well with a thin layer of flour. Now, dip the flour-coated pork chop into the egg; coating all sides. Dip the flour and egg-coated pork chop into cracker crumb breading mixture. Press the crumb mixture onto the pork chop with your hand to ensure it is coated well. Lie the breaded pork chop onto a plate or platter. Repeat this process for the rest of the pork chops.

Once all the pork chops are breaded, place the platter in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes. This will help the breading adhere to the pork chop better.

How to cook the cracker crumb pork chops:

Add about ¼-inch of olive oil to the bottom of a cast iron frying pan or heavy skillet and warm over medium-high heat.

Add two to three pork chops to the heated oil, making sure not to overcrowd the chops in the pan.

The pork chops will more than likely have to cook in batches. Adding too many pork chops to the pan will become soggy and will not brown as pretty.

Fry the pork chops, until they are golden brown and done through, about 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on their thickness.

The done temperature for pork is about 145 degrees F, but David and I like our pork well done. I use my handy-dandy pocket thermometer by Thermoworks to check the temperature. I adore this gadget. It is the best thing I have ever purchased for my kitchen! As you can see, these pork chops are juicy even after they are taken way up to 165 degrees F.

Remove the pork chops when they are done and allow them to drain on paper towels while cooling.

Add the remaining oil to the pan when cooking the second batch, if needed. Cook the second batch as the one before.

Serve warm with your favorite sides.

I love these pork chops and so does David. I hope this recipe will quickly become a favorite at your table too!