Browned Butter Pork Chops with Mizithra Cheese were recently on our menu and with a few tips I learned on a recent grocery store tour with Indiana Dairy, I was able to make this dish for less.
Pork generally makes it’s way onto our plates at least a few times a week. Whether it is ham, bacon or my favorite- pork tenderloin, this meat is a healthy choice for my family.
The choices you make while at the grocery store aren’t always simple ones and generally stem from our ability to afford what we need to get. Filtering out the junk food, soda and other “luxury splurges” is sometimes hard and requires a plan of attack. I am a big list maker and go in with a pretty good idea of what I want. This is the simple part, in my opinion.
The hard part comes when you start to compare one item versus a similar one. Pre-pattied burgers vs a package of loose ground meat. A bag of pre-cut veggies vs whole veggies. You have to weigh your need for speed with how much you are willing to spend, right?
Believe it or not, one of my best cost saving tips came from my husband many years ago when we first had kids. This tip was reinforced during our grocery store tour and I was a little proud to hear an expert say it was a great idea!
When it comes to buying pork chops, loin chops to be exact, buy the cheaper whole loan roast that is a better value. Then have the meat counter attendant slice it and repackage to your specifications. So for example: I can buy a 5 pound pork roast and have them slice half of it into thin chops and the other half leave whole as a roast. Each is packaged individually so I can go straight to the refrigerator or freezer for later use. This makes amazing sense. You get the cuts you want and you are spending less than buying pre-sliced chops. Boom.
So today I am sharing a great way to incorporate this tip. This is something I make with both pork AND chicken and a recipe you need in your arsenal. I have shared many times about the delight that is a one skillet meal and this is no exception. Don’t be scared away by the use of butter. It is a whole food and you don’t eat the whole stick!
I give the pork a light dusting with all purpose flour before cooking as well to help thicken the butter sauce as well as provide a nice coating on the pork. This is a dusting friends, not a coating! I serve this over cooked orzo (a pasta product) but any cooked pasta or rice will do. Finish off the meal plan with a quick veggie of your choice or a salad and that is it.
Dinner in 30 minutes and all in ONE pan!
Now, you may be wondering what this cheese is in the title. Mizithra. Read on.
Mizithra is a fresh cheese made with milk and whey from sheep or goats. It’s a firm yet easily crumbled white cheese that lends just the right flavor to a browned butter dish or on top or a robust and meaty red sauce. It may sound hard to find, but I bought mine at the same Kroger store I took the tour at over the summer. I found it in the “cheese shop” area adjacent to produce and the deli. It was not expensive and an important thing to keep in mind is that a little of this cheese goes a long way. It’s a bit salty so use less than you think you need to. It’s the perfect way to top a basic cut of pork, like I have in this recipe.
Did you know that Greek yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream?
Did you know that you can substitute half and half or whole milk for heavy cream in many recipes?
Did you know that you can add cottage cheese to many casserole recipes to add more protein to the dish?
In my opinion, the browned butter and the cheese really make this dish. It is simple and makes use of whole foods that you can find at your local grocery store. After the recipe check out a few of my favorite recipes that make whole foods like dairy and meat protein as the star!
Browned Butter Pork Chops with Mizithra Cheese
Save RecipeIngredients
- 6 pork chops, 1 ” thick or about 2 1/2 lbs
- 1 stick of unsalted butter
- small drizzle (about 1 tsp) of olive oil
- 1/3 C of all purpose flour
- kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp of dried thyme
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Mizithra cheese to top cooked pork
- Cooked pasta or orzo
Instructions
- Dust the pork chops with flour on both sides.
- Set aside.
- In a deep, wide skillet melt butter on low heat and add olive oil.
- Add garlic.
- Place floured chops carefully in melted butter.
- Cook on each side 4 minutes at medium to low heat until inside temp is 145 degrees.
- You will notice butter is slightly browned and that is OK, perfect actually.
- Dust with dried thyme, salt and pepper.
- Place cooked pasta in serving dish.
- Place pork cops on top.
- Pour remaining browned butter sauce over the top.
- Dust with cheese, serve.
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