Pork Chop Milanese with Parmesan Crust

5 (1)

I loved eating this dish as a kid. A beautiful Pork Chop that has been coated in crispy breadcrumbs and shallow fried to perfection. It was such an awesome treat to eat as a kid, I guess because it was fried is why I probably loved it so much. So, it was perhaps a little to my surprise that as an adult I’ve found out that the dish – known as Pork Chop Milanese, is a fancy pants dish served plentifully in great restaurants across the world. I guess I had a good palate as a kid!

In all seriousness, the classic Pork Chop Milanese Recipe is a tried and tested classic dish that is universally loved. It has been around for decades however unlikely other nostalgic dishes of the 70’s and 80’s like the Chicken Kiev, it has remained ‘cool’

There are similar variations to the Pork Chop Milanese, such as the classic Pork Schnitzel, or Pork Cotoletta. These are both typically served with Veal however interchanging it with Pork is quite common. Whatever way you call it, it’s a brilliant dish that tastes great. Everyone will love to tuck into this brilliant dish, regardless of their age. We guarantee it!

It is best to use thick-cut, Bone-In Pork Chops for the Pork Chop Milanese

You get the best flavor out of any meat that comes on the bone, and Pork Chops are no exception. The key to cooking a Pork Chop successfully is to ensure it is at room temperature before cooking it. Any meat that is on the bone will naturally take longer to cook, however if you’ve just taken it out of the refrigerator, the meat near the bone will be much cooler than that on the outside

So, at least 1 hour before cooking remove the Pork Chops from the refrigerator and bring them up to room temperature. This will ensure a much more even cook when it’s time to go in the frying pan

Some recipes would call for you to pound the Pork to flatten it. There really is no need

We don’t recommend flattening or pounding the piece of Pork before coating it for cooking. There really is no need. If you follow our cooking technique listed in the recipe below we guarantee your Pork Chop Milanese will come out perfect

The idea of flattening the meat before cooking it is purely to reduce the cooking time. Some recipes do this for crumbed Pork Chops because they fear the Pork won’t cook before the breadcrumbs start to burn. It’s all in the cooking technique, however. Get your temperatures right and you can keep that beautiful, thick cut of Pork intact and still get a delicious, golden-brown coating

Shallow frying the Pork Chop Milanese requires the Oil temperature to be a little lower than deep frying

The trick to getting a perfectly cooked Pork Chop without burning the breadcrumb coating is to set your Oil temperature lower than you would if you’re deep frying. The typical deep-frying temperature is between 350 – 375 degrees. However, if you shallow fry at this high temperature, the Chops will burn

This is because there are two contacts points for heat onto the chops: The hot Oil, and the actual surface of the frying pan. When deep frying the Oil is the only contact point. This slight nuance makes a huge difference when shallow frying

We have found that shallow frying the crumbed Pork Chop in temperatures ranging from around 275 – 300 degrees will yield a beautiful crispy result without any Oil seeping into the breading or into the Pork. The Pork will cook at a more moderate temperature, ensuring that it’ll reach that desired 145-degree internal temperature while the breadcrumbs are beautiful and golden-brown

Use super fine breadcrumbs for the best result

For the best overall texture of your Crispy Pork Chop Milanese, we recommend using fine breadcrumbs. We find they simply stick much better to the Pork Chops and apply a much more even coating than the thicker breadcrumbs, such as Panko. The taste is the same, you will just get a much more even coat and better texture using thin breadcrumbs

They are readily available at most grocery stores so should not be too difficult to find. If you can’t locate them you can always buy the thicker breadcrumbs and throw them into the food processor or blender to get them super fine

Adding Parmesan Cheese to the Breadcrumbs creates a beautiful flavor to the dish

We love Parmesan Cheese! Put it into most dishes and it will elevate it. These Pork Chops are absolutely no exception. Grate some beautiful Parmesan Cheese into the breadcrumbs before you apply them onto the Pork Chops to add a beautiful sharp, nutty flavor that is so synonymous with Parmesan Cheese

Don’t be shy with the application of Parmesan either. This dish can handle quite a lot of it, so get grating!

While not necessary, trimming the excess fat from the Pork will make for a more pleasant eating experience

Most butchers will leave the strip of fat along the outside of the Pork Chop. When simply pan frying the Pork Chops this is one of the best parts to eat. Seer off that fat for a few minutes and let the Pork soak up all that flavor!

When it comes to the Pork Chop Milanese however, it’s best to remove it entirely. Because we are coating the Chops in breading before they get cooked, that would also include the strip of Fat. Given it’s covered, it won’t properly render down and will leave a bit of an unpleasant texture in the chop when eaten

So, best to simply trim off the excess fat before you coat the Pork Chops

Beautiful Side Salads that pair wonderfully with the Pork Chop Milanese with Parmesan Crust Recipe

This is a lovely dish to pair with a bright, fresh salad. Here are a few of our absolute favorite Salads to pair with these yummy Pork Chops

• Strawberry Romaine Salad with Green Apple
• Garlic Lemon Broccoli
• Creamy Kale Salad
• Apple and Arugula Salad with Goats Cheese
  
  

Pork Chop Milanese with Parmesan Crust Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 Large 8 oz. Pork Chops, Bone In
• 1 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup of Fine Breadcrumbs
• ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
• 2 Eggs, whisked
• 2 cups of Frying Oil (eg: Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil)
• Salt and Pepper
  
  

Instructions

1. Ensure that your Pork Chops are at room temperature before cooking. Remove them from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before beginning
2. Trim the excess fat off the outer sides of the Pork Chops then season generously with Salt and Pepper on all sides
3. Prepare your breading station by filling 3 separate bowls. The first with Flour, second with the Eggs, and the third with the Breadcrumbs and Parmesan Cheese. Add a pinch of Salt to the Flour and Breadcrumbs and mix through to combine
4. Add the Oil to a large frying pan or Cast-Iron Skillet placed over medium heat
5. While the Oil is heating, bread your Pork Chops by dipping them (one at a time) in the Flour, Egg Wash, then finally the Breadcrumb mixture. Ensure they are well coated from each bowl before moving onto the next. Set aside on a wire rack as you repeat the process
6. Once the temperature of the Oil reaches 300 degrees, carefully place two Pork Chops into the Oil. Always place the Chops away from your body to avoid any potential Oil splashing onto you
7. Adjust the temperature to ensure the Oil stays within 275 – 300 degrees. Fry the Pork Chops for 7 minutes on each side until a dark golden-brown color
8. Remove the Pork Chops from the Oil when their internal temperature reaches 140 degrees. Set them aside on a wire rack to dry and immediately season with another generous pinch of Salt
9. Repeat the process for the remaining Pork Chops and rest them for at least 10 minutes before serving
   
   

Note: The Pork Chops will continue to cook when resting, so removing them at 140 degrees will ensure a perfect medium cooked Chop by the time they are ready to eat

We hope you enjoyed cooking our Pork Chop Milanese with Parmesan Crust recipe. For more amazing Pork recipes click here

Happy Cooking!