Crispy Country-Fried Pork Chops with Sausage Gravy and Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

Quantities are for 4 servings.

• 1 1/2 lb Boneless pork chops (1-inch thick)
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/2 lb Breakfast sausage, ground
• 2 1/2 cups Milk
• 2 lb Russet potatoes
• 3 tbsp Butter
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 tsp Black pepper

Instructions

1. Start the potatoes: peel and cube them, cover with cold salted water, and boil until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash with the butter and 1/2 cup of the milk, season with salt and pepper, and keep warm. Set the oven to 200°F to keep the chops warm.
2. Place each chop between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/2 inch. Pour the buttermilk into a shallow dish. On a plate, mix 1 cup of the flour with the paprika, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Dip each chop in the buttermilk, then press firmly into the seasoned flour to coat both sides. Throw away the plastic wrap and discard the leftover buttermilk and flour mixture, which have touched raw pork. Wash your hands and board.
3. Pour the oil into a large skillet to about 1/4 inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350°F (a pinch of flour should sizzle right away). Fry the chops 2 at a time, 3-4 minutes per side, until deep golden and 145°F in the center. Never leave hot oil unattended. Drain the chops on a clean rack and keep them warm in the oven (200°F is hot enough to hold them safely). Let the oil cool a few minutes, then carefully pour it into a heatproof container, never down the sink, leaving the browned bits in the skillet.
4. Make the gravy in the same skillet: cook the sausage over medium heat 5-6 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and no pink remains (ground sausage should reach 160°F). Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup flour over the sausage and stir 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 cups of milk and simmer 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until thick.
5. Season the gravy with the remaining 1 teaspoon pepper and salt to taste (the sausage is already salty, so taste first). Serve the chops over the mashed potatoes, smothered in the gravy.