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Fry until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Gently turn the chops over with a large spatula so as not to dislodge the crust and fry on the other side until lightly browned, about 5 more minutes. It’s hard to use an instant-read meat thermometer with these chops since the surrounding oil is so hot; you should take their internal temperature, however, when they’re out of the oil and it should be 155°F (our preference) or 160°F (the USDA recommendation).

Note: You can double or triple the recipe, but don’t double or triple the oil. Instead, fry the chops in batches, adding more oil as need be.

Variations: Substitute any dried herb you like for the thyme: equivalent amounts of oregano, rosemary, paprika, marjoram, parsley, or tarragon.

Spice up any flour mixture with ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.

Omit the bread crumbs and place 1½ cups chopped pecan pieces, walnut pieces, or skinned hazelnut pieces on the plate. Lower the heat to medium once the chops go in the skillet so the nuts don’t burn, but cook the chops a minute or two longer.

Oven-Fried Bone-In Pork Chops

This aromatic bread-crumb coating can be made in larger batches; store it in a sealed plastic bag for up to 1 month, using it when you want to oven-fry more chops. Makes 4 servings

Canola oil or nonstick spray for the baking sheet

1 cup regular or low-fat buttermilk (do not use fat-free)

1 cup plain dried bread crumbs

1 tablespoon mild paprika

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Four 6- or 7-ounce, ½-inch-thick bone-in loin or rib pork chops, trimmed of any peripheral fat

Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil or spray a large lipped baking sheet and set it aside.

Pour the buttermilk into a wide shallow bowl or a pie plate. Mix the bread crumbs, paprika, fennel seeds, celery seeds, onion powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder on a large plate until uniform.

Dip a pork chop into the buttermilk, coating both sides but letting the excess drain off. Dip it into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides and shaking off the excess. Lay it on the prepared baking sheet and continue with the other pork chops.

Bake for 20 minutes, then gently turn the chops with a wide spatula so as not to knock off the crust. Continue baking until browned, until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted diagonally into one of the chops registers 155°F (our preference) or 160°F (the USDA recommendation), about 10 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

Variations: Substitute smoked paprika for the regular paprika.

Add 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon dried oregano with the other herbs.

Omit the celery seeds and substitute 1½ teaspoons caraway seeds for the fennel seeds.

Tequila-Brined Bone-In Pork Chops

A salt brine plumps pork chops; the tequila will give them a slightly aromatic, sweet taste. There’s no need to use the best tequila here, but certainly use one you would drink on its own. Makes 4 servings

1½ cups tequila

1 cup water

¼ cup salt, preferably kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons cumin seeds, crushed

1 tablespoon mustard seeds, crushed

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Four 6- or 7-ounce, ½-inch-thick bone-in loin or rib pork chops, trimmed

2 bay leaves

Whisk the tequila, water, salt, sugar, garlic, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl until the salt and sugar dissolve. Pour into a large resealable plastic bag.

Add the pork chops and the bay leaves. Seal closed, shake well, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 48 hours. Shake and turn the bag occasionally to make sure the chops are coated in the marinade.

To broil: Preheat the broiler and line the broiler pan with aluminum foil. Remove the chops from the marinade; do not blot dry but discard the marinade. Place them in the pan 5 inches from the heat source; broil,