The Scoop
Oven-baked pork chops are ideal for new beginnings with their homey flavor.
The first meal I cooked to impress my college roommate was oven-baked pork chops. Moving into a dorm can be a stressful, chaotic time, and I wanted to create something that felt like a slice of home. I never left the kitchen empty-handed—always had a carton of eggs and a trusty box of herb-seasoned bread stuffing. These were my secret weapons, along with a small tub of butter that my mom insisted I keep around. On move-in day, as my roommate and I unpacked, I realized a proper meal might actually establish a good start to our shared space.
This particular recipe caught my eye because of its simplicity. I whisked the egg with milk and pepper in my only shallow bowl, a makeshift but trusty substitute for a proper baking dish. Coating those chops in stuffing brought back memories of holidays, grounding us both in a familiar aroma. My little toaster oven was just big enough to tackle those pounded pork beauties that sizzled in a baking dish filled with melted butter.
A chef-y tip I learned quickly was the importance of flipping the chops halfway through cooking to ensure they stayed juicy. The crispy, herbaceous crust was the kind that prompted second servings. By the time we sat down to enjoy our meal on mismatched dorm chairs, we felt a little more at home. That evening marked the start of a friendship cemented by the simple act of breaking bread. Oven-baked pork chops became a staple, not just for sustenance but as a reminder of the warmth and comfort found in shared meals.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix
- 4 pork chops, fat trimmed and pounded to 1-inch-thickness
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Pour the butter into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Whisk together the egg, the milk, and the pepper in a shallow dish.
- Place the stuffing mix in a separate shallow dish.
- Dip the pork chops in the egg mixture and then coat them in the stuffing mix.
- Lay the pork chops in the prepared dish.
- Bake the chops for 10 minutes.
- Flip the chops and bake until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 10 minutes. The pork should read 145 degrees F internally.
- Serve.
×