Soul Food · Authentic-ish Soul Food
Fried Pork Chops
393 kcal a serving, against 961 for the traditional version. That is 568 kcal off, or 59%, with 55.5g of protein. Serves 4. 1 hour 10 minutes (including brining time).
What the traditional version is
Classic southern fried pork chops use thick, bone-in chops, sometimes brined for a bit but always dredged in seasoned flour, then deep-fried in vegetable oil. The crust is crisp, the pork is juicy, and every bite has the taste of salt, pepper and a heroic quantity of fat.
What changed, and what each change costs
Bone-in, marbled pork shoulder chops for lean pork loin, boneless
All that marbling gives flavour and moisture, but lean loin has more protein for every bite and less fat hanging about.
What it costs you. You lose a fair bit of porkiness and it'll dry faster if you let your mind wander. Eat hot and don't faff about.
Deep-frying in oil for baking on a rack with a little olive oil spray
Deep-frying's the ticket for a thick, greasy crust. Baking on a rack drops nearly all the oil - there's just enough to brown the flour.
What it costs you. There's no way around it: the crunch is subtler and the crust is thinner. If crunch is what you need, you'll miss the original.
All plain flour in the dredge for half flour, half whey protein powder
Plain flour is all carbs. Swapping half for whey powder bumps up the protein and manages a half-decent crust, provided you don't overthink it.
What it costs you. If your protein powder is even slightly vanilla-flavoured, you'll regret it. Unflavoured, for baking, and don't get clever.
A quick brine for the pork
With almost no fat and no oil bath, the pork can go dry in a flash. A basic brine helps hold some moisture in the unforgiving heat.
What it costs you. It adds 50 minutes, but you do end up with pork that isn't leather. Don't skip it unless you enjoy that sort of thing.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 961 | 393 |
| Protein | 43g | 55.5g |
| Fat | 72.6g | 10.2g |
| Saturated fat | 18.2g | 2.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 30.9g | 17.8g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 4.5g | 14.1g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Soul Food prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, milk.
The method is in the book
These save you almost all the oil and swap half the crust's flour for protein - so the numbers add up. What you lose is the thick, hot fried crust and some of that fatty, porky flavour. If you want the deep-fried slab you remember, you'll mope a bit. But you get a real porky flavour, crispy edges, and if you eat it hot, nobody's mugging you for your chef's badge. For a Tuesday, it's a good trade.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Soul Food, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.