Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (186 page)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Packaged pork cutlets seem like an easy shortcut to a quick dinner, but they are usually poorly butchered, resulting in dry, stringy meat once cooked. We wanted better sautéed pork cutlets, and knew the first step would be revisiting the butcher case. Instead of using supermarket pork cutlets, we opted for boneless country-style spare ribs—these meaty ribs are full of flavor and require little work to be fashioned into cutlets. We added sugar to our brine to help the cutlets retain moisture and to encourage browning, then sautéed the pork in a combination of olive oil and butter, which promoted browning even further. For the pan sauce, we reduced a flour-thickened mixture of cider, broth, and seasonings and swirled in whole grain mustard and butter for a rich, glossy sauce that perfectly coated our tender, browned cutlets.
See “CUTTING PORK TENDERLOIN FOR CUTLETS” illustration that follows recipe.
SERVES 4
If the pork is enhanced (injected with a salt solution), do not brine in step 1, and season with salt in step 3.
Look for ribs that are about 3 to 5 inches long. Cut ribs over 5 inches in half crosswise before slicing them lengthwise to make pounding more manageable.
PORK
1¹⁄ | pounds boneless country-style pork spare ribs, trimmed |
3 | tablespoons salt |
3 | tablespoons sugar |
Pepper | |
1 | tablespoon olive oil |
¹⁄ | tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces |
MUSTARD-CIDER SAUCE
1 | tablespoon unsalted butter |
1 | small shallot, minced |
1 | teaspoon all-purpose flour |
1 | teaspoon dry mustard |
¹⁄ | cup beef broth or low-sodium chicken broth |
¹⁄ | cup apple cider |
¹⁄ | teaspoon minced fresh sage |
2 | teaspoons whole grain mustard |
Salt and pepper |
1. FOR THE PORK:
Cut each rib lengthwise to create 2 or 3 cutlets about ³⁄
8
inch wide. Place cutlets between 2 layers of plastic wrap and gently pound to ¹⁄
4
-inch thickness.
Dissolve salt and sugar in 1¹⁄
2
quarts cold water in large container. Submerge pork in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. FOR THE SAUCE:
While pork brines, melt ¹⁄
2
tablespoon butter in small saucepan over medium heat; add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 1¹⁄
2
minutes. Add flour and dry mustard; cook, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Slowly add broth, whisking constantly to avoid forming lumps. Add cider and sage and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Off heat, cover and set aside. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees.
3. TO COOK PORK:
Remove pork from brine, thoroughly pat dry with paper towels, and season with pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 1 piece butter, allow to melt, and quickly add half of pork cutlets. Cook cutlets until browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip cutlets and continue to cook until browned on second side, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer cutlets to large plate and transfer plate to warm oven. Repeat with remaining cutlets and remaining butter.
4.
After second batch of cutlets is cooked, reduce skillet heat to medium, add reserved sauce, and bring to simmer. Cook, scraping bottom of skillet with wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits, until slightly thickened and reduced to about ¹⁄
2
cup, about 2 minutes. Stir in any pork juices; return to simmer and cook 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in whole grain mustard and remaining ¹⁄
2
tablespoon butter; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over pork and serve.
Substitute white wine for cider and 2 teaspoons lemon juice for sage in step 2. Substitute 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley leaves, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons rinsed capers for mustard in step 4.
Cut tenderloin in half at about 20-degree angle. Using same angle, cut each half in half again, cutting tapered tail pieces slightly thicker than middle medallions.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Pork schnitzel is often a soggy, greasy affair. But when done right, it features an irresistible combination of light, puffy bread-crumb coating and tender juicy meat. For remarkably tender texture and mild flavor, we used pounded medallions of pork tenderloin. It was no surprise that homemade bread crumbs were superior to store-bought crumbs—and a quick spin in the microwave produced dry crumbs that cooked up extra-crisp. And to achieve the wrinkled, puffy exterior that is schnitzel’s signature, we found it essential to use an ample amount of oil and to shake the pan, gently and continuously, while the cutlets cooked.
SERVES 4
The 2 cups of oil called for in this recipe may seem like a lot, but this amount is necessary to achieve a wrinkled texture on the finished cutlets. When properly cooked, the cutlets absorb very little oil. To ensure ample cooking space, a large Dutch oven is essential. In lieu of an instant-read thermometer to gauge the oil’s temperature, place a fresh (not dry) bread cube in the oil and start heating; when the bread is deep golden brown, the oil is ready.
PORK
7 | slices hearty white sandwich bread, crusts removed, bread cut into ³⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup all-purpose flour |
2 | large eggs |
1 | tablespoon plus 2 cups vegetable oil |
1 | (1¹⁄ |
Salt and pepper |
GARNISHES
Lemon wedges | |
2 | tablespoons chopped fresh parsley |
2 | tablespoons capers, rinsed |
1 | large hard-cooked egg, yolk and white separated and passed separately through fine-mesh strainer (optional) |
1.
Place bread cubes on large plate. Microwave on high power for 4 minutes, stirring well halfway through cooking. Microwave on medium power until bread is dry and few pieces start to lightly brown, 3 to 5 minutes longer, stirring every minute. Process dry bread in food processor to very fine crumbs, about 45 seconds. Transfer bread crumbs to shallow dish (you should have about 1¹⁄
4
cups crumbs). Spread flour in second shallow dish. Beat eggs with 1 tablespoon oil in third shallow dish.
2.
Working with 1 piece at a time, place pork, with 1 cut side down, between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound to even thickness between ¹⁄
8
and ¹⁄
4
inch. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets thoroughly in flour, shaking off excess, then coat with egg mixture, allowing excess to drip back into dish to ensure very thin coating, and coat evenly with bread crumbs, pressing on crumbs to adhere. Place breaded cutlets in single layer on wire rack set over baking sheet; let coating dry for 5 minutes.
3.
Heat remaining 2 cups oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it registers 375 degrees. Lay 2 cutlets, without overlapping, in pan and cook, shaking pan continuously and gently, until cutlets are wrinkled and light golden brown on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer cutlets to paper towel–lined plate and flip cutlets several times to blot excess oil. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Serve with garnishes.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Breaded pork cutlets can make a flavorful, satisfying meal—as long as they’re not tough disks of meat shrouded in a greasy, pale crust. We wanted tender, well-seasoned pork cutlets with a crisp, golden, substantial breading. We made our cutlets from pork tenderloin and pounded them ¹⁄
2
inch thick, substantial enough to offer some chew and provide a cushion against overcooking. A coating of fresh bread crumbs was light, crisp, and flavorful. Finally, we found that using plenty of oil, allowing enough time for it to heat, and not crowding the pan were all essential steps for an ultra-crisp, golden brown coating.
SERVES 3
If you have two skillets, you can use both at once to cut the time it takes to fry. Our favorite accompaniments for breaded pork cutlets are applesauce, mashed potatoes, or coleslaw.
6 | slices hearty white sandwich bread, crusts removed, bread torn into rough 1¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | cup all-purpose flour |
2 | large eggs |
1 | tablespoon plus 1 cup vegetable oil |
1 | (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut on angle into 6 equal pieces |
Salt and pepper |
1.
Process bread in food processor until evenly fine-textured, 10 to 15 seconds (you should have about 3 cups fresh bread crumbs); transfer crumbs to pie plate or shallow baking dish.
2.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large ovensafe plate on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Spread flour in second pie plate. Beat eggs with 1 tablespoon oil in third pie plate.
3.
Working with 1 piece at a time, place pork, with 1 cut side down, between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound to even ¹⁄
2
-inch thickness. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets thoroughly in flour, shaking off excess. Using tongs, dip both sides of cutlets in egg mixture, allowing excess to drip back into pie plate to ensure very thin coating. Dip both sides of cutlets in bread crumbs, pressing crumbs with fingers to form even, cohesive coat. Place breaded cutlets in single layer on wire rack set over baking sheet and allow coating to dry about 5 minutes.
4.
Meanwhile, heat ¹⁄
2
cup oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2¹⁄
2
minutes. Lay 3 cutlets in skillet; fry until deep golden brown and crisp on first side, gently pressing down on cutlets with wide metal spatula to help ensure even browning and checking browning partway through, about 2¹⁄
2
minutes (smaller cutlets from tail end of tenderloin may cook faster). Using tongs, flip cutlets, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook until meat feels firm when pressed gently and second side is deep golden brown and crisp, again checking browning partway through, about 2¹⁄
2
minutes longer. Line warmed plate with double layer of paper towels and set cutlets on top; return plate to oven.
5.
Discard oil in skillet and wipe skillet clean. Repeat step 4 using remaining ¹⁄
2
cup oil and preheating oil just 2 minutes to cook remaining 3 cutlets.
Substitute 6 (3- to 4-ounce) boneless pork chops, trimmed, for pork tenderloin and pound to between ¹⁄
2
and ¹⁄
4
inch thick; substitute equal amount cornstarch for flour and panko for fresh bread crumbs. To serve, slice cutlets into ³⁄
4
-inch wide strips and drizzle with Tonkatsu Sauce (recipe follows).
