How to Make Southern Fried Pork Chops

Marinated in buttermilk, dredged in seasoned flour and cooked in hot oil, Southern fried pork chops have lots of flavor and cook up fast. This recipe is comfort food at its best!

There are a lot of ways to cook pork chops, but the beauty of Southern fried pork chops is the simplicity. Marinate bone-in pork chops in buttermilk (with a little hot sauce, of course), then dredge in seasoned flour. The pork chops are pan-fried to a golden brown, while still retaining their juiciness, and are best served with classic side dishes like mashed potatoes, green beans, corn—and maybe a little gravy, if you have the time.

This is one of the most delicious and easiest pork chop recipes to have in your back pocket. Here’s how to make them.

Southern Fried Pork Chops Recipe

Ingredients

For the marinade:

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
  • 4 bone-in pork loin chops (8 ounces each)

For the coating:

  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Oil for frying

Directions

Step 1: Marinate the pork chops

In a large shallow dish, whisk the buttermilk and hot sauce together. Add the pork chops, turning them to coat on all sides. Cover and refrigerate the chops for at least one hour or overnight.

Step 2: Dredge the pork chops in seasoned flour

Drain the pork chops and discard the buttermilk mixture. To make the coating, in a shallow dish, combine the flour and all the seasonings. Dredge each pork chop in the flour, turning to coat and pressing them into the flour. Shake off any excess, and place the pork chops on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Refrigerate the chops, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Fry the pork chops

In a Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil over medium heat to 350°F. Fry the pork chops in batches, uncovered, turning occasionally, until the coating is dark golden brown, about five to six minutes per side. Use a thermometer to make sure the pork chop temperature reaches 145°. Drain the pork chops on paper towels. Looking for more? Learn how to make ranch pork chops.

What to Serve with Southern Fried Pork Chops

Any Southern side dishes like corn spoon bread and green beans with apricots are perfect pairings for Southern fried pork chops. You can’t go wrong with mashed potatoes and gravy, mac and cheese, coleslaw and buttery biscuits, either.

Tips for Making Southern Fried Pork Chops

Southern Fried Pork Chops with cheese macaroni.TMB Studio

Can you use boneless pork chops instead of bone-in pork chops?

Like other pork chop recipes, boneless and bone-in pork chops are pretty interchangeable in most recipes. The thing to know is that rib chops have a slightly higher fat content than leaner loin chops, and that means more flavor. The bone also helps insulate the meat from overcooking, making the chops more juicy. If using boneless pork chops, keep an eye on cooking time (they’ll take less time).

How can you make sure Southern fried pork chops are crispy?

No matter how you fry pork chops, you want to keep the coating crispy. One way of doing that is to not overcrowd the pork chops in the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Also make sure to drain the pork chops on paper towels before serving. This will dab off some of the excess oil, which might soften the coating.

How should you store leftover Southern fried pork chops?

Southern fried pork chops will last three to four days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The coating might become a little soggy in the refrigerator, so a good way to reheat for crispiness is in the air fryer or in a skillet with a little oil.

You can also freeze pork chops: Just individually wrap each chop in plastic wrap or foil, and store in a freezer-safe bag or container for three to four months. Thaw frozen pork chops in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Lesley Balla
As an associate food editor for Taste of Home, Lesley writes and edits recipes, works closely with freelancers, and tracks cooking and food trends. After working in hospitality for a decade, Lesley went on to report on the food industry for national, regional and local print and digital publications. Throughout her career, she’s highlighted both famous and unsung culinary heroes, featured up-and-coming wine and spirits destinations, and closely followed the food scenes and chefs in many cities. Her own cooking style has been influenced by the places she's lived: Ohio, Key West, Massachusetts, Oregon, and a long stint in Southern California, where she still visits as often as possible, if only for the citrus and avocados. When not at her desk, you’ll find Lesley taking photos of everything, hitting farmers markets, baking something delicious at home and road-tripping around the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their bottled-chaos pup, Pucci, shucking oysters and cracking crabs along the way.