Breading Chicken, Pork, or Veal Cutlets or Chops
Courtesy of Joe Leone

1.      Pound meat to desired thickness, and then using gloves coat them evenly in all-purpose flour.

2.     Make sure to shake off excess flour.

3.     Using one gloved hand or tongs dip the floured cutlet/chop into the egg wash mixture; ensuring the entire surface is covered with egg.

4.     Next dip the cutlet/chop into the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to pack the crumbs on to fully coat.

5.     Heat oil in a large sauté pan (to tell if oil is hot enough sprinkle in a few breadcrumbs, if they start to sizzle you are ready to cook your meat)

6.     Place cutlet/chop into oil away from yourself to avoid splattering.

7.     Cook meat on one side until golden brown, then flip and cook until golden brown on the other side

8.    Remove cutlet/chop from the pan and place onto paper towel to drain excess oil

9.     Finish cooking meat in a 350 degree oven until a thermometer reads that the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

**Joe’s Notes**

-         In step 1: season the all purpose flour with salt and pepper for more flavor.

-         In step 3: my favorite mixture for an egg wash is to combine eggs, chopped Italian flat leaf parsley, fine grated Pecorino Romano cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix all of these ingredients together and add a splash of water if it’s too thick. You can adapt this recipe and add any other flavorings you like!

-         In step 4: Both Italian style seasoned breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs work well.

-         In Step 5: You can use olive oil or vegetable oil for pan-frying. I prefer to use a little of each!