Pretzel Crusted Mustard Pork Chops
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure here.
Crunchy, salty pretzel crust meets juicy, tender pork chops with a tangy mustard kick! These Pretzel Crusted Mustard Pork Chops are the perfect combo of bold flavor and irresistible crunch. They are easy enough for weeknights but tasty enough to impress.
This post originally published in November 2012.
Pork chops are one of those things that I make a few times a month but I don’t do a whole lot with. My most frequent pork chop meal is simply pan fried pork chops with macaroni and cheese but sometimes that gets boring.
In the past I have made some more adventurous pork recipes like a Mediterranean Stuffed Pork Loin. Our current favorite pork dish are Sesame Crusted Pork Chops with Sweet and Sour. BBQ pork is always a hit and Instant Pot Whiskey BBQ Pulled Pork is delicious.
I was looking for a recipe that I could make in under 30 minutes which means I was making something on the stove top. I thought maybe a different type of coating besides breadcrumbs would be fun.
What I came up with was a pretzel coating. Simply crushing pretzels and coating the pork chops with them gives the pork a salty and crunchy coating.
What type of pretzels should I use to coat the pork?
The choice is really yours but classic pretzel twist or sticks are great because you can crush them as finely as you’d like. For extra crunch use pretzel rods as they are bigger and pack more crunch. If you want extra flavor honey mustard, garlic, or spicy pretzels.
I could have just dunked the pork chops into an egg mixture and then pressed it into the pretzels but I wanted even more flavor. Since mustard and pretzels go so well together I thought a butter and mustard combo would be amazing.
What kind of mustard should I use?
I personally like using brown mustard because it’s little bit spicy and has a lot of flavor. If you don’t want spice you can use yellow mustard. If you want a bite and spice go for Dijon mustard,
While you can just use pretzels for the coating I find that you get a more even coating if you add a half cup of breadcrumbs in with a cup of pretzel crumbs. You will get all the crunch and saltiness from the pretzels but an even coating from the breadcrumbs.
Ingredients:
- thin cut pork chops (you can use thick cut but the cook time will be longer)
- salted butter (you can use unsalted if preferred)
- spicy brown mustard (or your preferred type of mustard)
- pretzels
- breadcrumbs (optional)
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- cheddar cheese
- olive oil
To make the pork chops heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. In a shallow dish combine the melted butter and mustard. Combine the breadcrumbs, pretzel crumbs, pepper, and garlic powder in another dish. Dip the pork chop into the mustard mixture then press into the pretzel crumbs. Place in the pan.
Saute for 3-4 minutes per side or until the pork chops read 155 degrees. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top of each pretzel and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
These pork chops were golden brown and had a thin layer of cheese on top. They smelled spicy and salty and I couldn’t wait to eat one.
Cutting into the pork chop there was a nice crunch. When I tasted the first bite it was crispy, salty, and had hints of mustard. The cheese was rich and delicious.
I loved that there were only 8 ingredients in this recipe and that it took just under 20 minutes to make it from start to finish.
What do you serve with Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops?
Mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, or cheesy potato casserole would be a great match with the crisp pork chops. As far a vegetable side dishes roasted green beans, Brussels Sprouts, or a simple salad with vinaigrette would pair well with the pork.
Pretzel Crusted Mustard Pork Chops are a tasty weeknight meal. If you want to make them in the oven simply spray a pan and cook at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, flipping once.
While the tops will be crispy, the underside tends to get a big soggy so I prefer cooking them in a pan. No matter how you cook them, these pork chops are delicious!
Pretzel Crusted Pork Chops
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 8 thin cut pork chops
- 4 Tablespoons butter melted
- 2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 1 cup pretzels finely crushed
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Pour the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Put the melted butter and mustard in a shallow dish. Combine the pretzel crumbs, breadcrumbs, pepper, and garlic salt in another small dish.
- Dip the pork chops into the butter and mustard mix. Press into the pretzel and breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the pork chops in a saute pan and heat for 3-4 minutes per side.
- Once the pork chops reach 155 degrees sprinkle the cheese on top.
- Heat for 2-3 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Notes
Pork chops have to be done right to lure me in…these…they’re done right! YUM!