If there was a movie on these pork chops it would be called: How to Win a Guy in One Meal. Kate Hudson would make these bone-in pork chops for Matthew McConaughey on their third date and the rest would be history. They would grow old and fat together and live happily ever after. If you can’t tell, much to Kevin’s dismay, I’m a sucker for romantic comedies. In fact, I usually turn down just about any other category he throws at me, which can lead to some very frustrating (on his end) Netflix browsing. But fret not, there isn’t any argument we have that can’t be solved by a massive fried piece of pork (especially one that is bone-in).
Kevin grew up in Switzerland where meat made in the Italian milanese style is called schnitzel. And he adores it. The word Schnitzel is believed to come from the word “der Schnitz” which means a slice or a cut. A milanese or schnitzel consists of a thin slice of veal, pork, beef, or chicken usually thinned by pounding with a meat tenderizer and coated with egg mixture and bread crumbs or flour. The coated meat is then shallow fried in oil or butter one at a time. Interestingly enough, this dish seems to repeat itself in recipes found across the world. The Japanese version is called tankatsu, and served with a sweet and savory sauce drizzled across the top with steamed white rice. In Iran, it is called Shenitsel, although it is thicker, spicier, and has crispier breading.
The best part about this dish, other than it’s ability to win a guy in one sitting, is just how quick it is to make. Once you have this baby in the frying pan, it is done and plated in 10 minutes, ready to show off its magnificent cave man bone to the astonished hungry folk. It also takes up so much of the dinner plate that you really don’t need more than a simple salad and some lemon wedges to accompany it. And although it is fried and breaded, because it is so thin and crispy it doesn’t feel like a very heavy meal (especially with the juice of a lemon).
Enough of me yapping about it. Let’s get this shnitz rolling. Let me know what you think!
STEP 1: SPLAT! Flatten that pork chop. Place each pork chop in a large plastic bag. Using a rolling pin or meat mallet, carefully pound out each pork chop until they are around 1/4 inch thick and flat. Remove each pork chop from the bag and season with salt and pepper.
STEP 2: Bread it. Mix together the flour, parsley, parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and Panko bread crumbs. Bread each pork chop by dipping it into the egg mixture and then the flour and breadcrumb mixture until it is completely covered. Allow the pork chops to sit in the fridge for 20-30 minutes once covered.
STEP 3: Ain’t no lie baby, fry fry fry. Preheat a cast iron skillet large enough to cook the pork chop laying flat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the butter, and the sage leaves and warm over medium heat until the butter is golden brown.Place each chop in the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on one side. Gently turn each chop. Add an additional tablespoon of oil to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and transfer the chops to a platter with wedges of lemon.
STEP 4: Win a guy in one meal.
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in pork chops (around 1/2 lb each)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 pinch of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon minces parsley
- 6 fresh sage leaves
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon sliced into wedges
Instructions
- Place each pork chop in a large plastic bag. Using a rolling pin or meat mallet, carefully pound out each pork chop until they are around 1/4 inch thick and flat.
- Remove each pork chop from the bag and season with salt and pepper.
- Beat the two eggs and add a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Mix together the flour, parsley, parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and Panko bread crumbs.
- Bread each pork chop by dipping it into the egg mixture and then the flour and breadcrumb mixture until it is completely covered.
- Allow the pork chops to sit in the fridge for 20-30 minutes once covered.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet large enough to cook the pork chop laying flat.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the butter, and the sage leaves and warm over medium heat until the butter is golden brown.
- Place each chop in the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on one side. Gently turn each chop. Add an additional tablespoon of oil to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes longer.
- Remove from the heat and transfer the chops to a platter with wedges of lemon.