Pork Chops Milanese

This recipe for Pork Chops Milanese is one that I’ve been making for over 10 years and it is my absolute favorite way to prepare pork. I first heard of this recipe while watching the Food Network back in the days when Ready, Set, Cook aired every night. (Anyone else remember that show? It was the best!)

Although I don’t remember who I saw prepare this dish or the actual recipe, I do remember the method and all the essential ingredients. I’ve kind of made it my own over the years, although there isn’t too much room for tweaking when you start with basics and end with a dish that is just spectacular!

I know there a lot of people that aren’t crazy about pork in general and pork chops in particular. It’s definitely easy to turn out a tough pork chop and that doesn’t make for the best eating. The method used in this dish – soaking the chops in milk and then baking for a long time at a low heat – results in some of the most tender pork chops you’ll ever eat. When I prepare pork this way, our kids always think it’s chicken because of how juicy and tender it turns out.

Pork Chops Milanese

• 1 – 2 lbs. pork chop cutlets,boneless or bone-in (I typically use boneless, but I can’t resist a great sale just because of bones. Hence, the ones pictured here are bone-in pork chop cutlets.)
• 1 1/2 c. milk
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 c. flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 T. water
• 1 1/2 c. bread crumbs
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 t. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• Olive oil or melted butter
• Lemon, for garnish, optional

1. Place pork chops in a large glass dish. Pour milk on top. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

2. Remove pork chops from milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge in flour.

3. Whisk together eggs and water in a shallow dish. In a second dish, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and seasonings. Dip floured pork chops in eggs then dredge in breadcrumb mixture until fully coated.

4. Place breaded chops in a casserole dish or on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil or melted butter. Bake at 325 degrees for 75 – 90 minutes, until fully cooked. (Fully cooked pork chops are no longer pink in the middle and their internal temperature should reach 160 degrees.) Remove pork chops from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.