Potato Chip Pork Schnitzel

While many recipes for pork schnitzel call for tenderloin, but boneless pork chops are an affordable and simple cut to use for this classic breaded and fried mead dish. I personally enjoy the darker meat and are quick to cut the bones from rib and shoulder cuts to make my own cutlets. As a Celiac, gluten free schnitzels are hard to come by in restaurants, so if I’m craving it, I have to make it at home.

My kitchen recycling has drastically improved during the COVID-19 pandemic, and like many, I have been cleaning and clearing out my cupboards to use up remnants of ingredients that had previously been ignored. Leftover and lonely potato chips make for an excellent breading (something I first learned when I had ripple chip coated halibut at a restaurant on the west coast).

This recipe for Potato Chip Pork Schnitzel can be easily made gluten free with a potato starch flour coating and GF chips. I highly recommend salt and vinegar ripple chips for an extra crunch. While most people associate schnitzel with Austrian-German cuisine, many countries around the world have similar dishes – from escalope to milanesa to pork-fried steak. This means that the skies the limit for accompaniments and side dishes for your potato chip schnitzel so serve and savour as you desire.

What you’ll need…

  • 1-1.5 lbs boneless pork chops (centre loin, rib, or remove the bone from shoulder chops)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (or 1 cup potato starch for gluten free)
  • 2 large eggs, whisked
  • 2 cups potato chips, crushed into large crumbs
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • Canola oil, for frying

Directions:

Place each pork chop or cutlet in a re-sealable bag one at a time and pound them with a meat mallet (bottle or rolling pin) until ½ cm thick. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Prepare your breading station by placing the flour, egg mixture and crushed potato chips each in a separate dish.

Place a layer of canola oil in a large pan and heat over medium-high heat.

Coat each cutlet in flour mixture first, then dip entirely into the egg mixture, and then finally into the crushed potato mixture. Ensure that each portion is fully coated after each dip, and shake off any extra breading after each dip. Fill any breading gaps by gently pressing down potato chip crumbs into the pork.

When the pan is hot, add the potato chip schnitzel into the pan and fry about 3-4 minutes on each side. The coating should be golden brown when done; if coating gets dark too quickly reduce temperature to medium heat.

When cooking in batches, add more oil to the pan as needed. Do not overcrowd the pan or the schnitzel will steam and not get crunchy.

Go traditional and served with a wedge of lemon, or enjoy with your favourite sauce, slaw, potato salad or side dish. Enjoy.

Recipe: Breakfast Nachos with Bacon

Who doesn’t love nachos? This hearty and nutritious dish is sure to be enjoyed with family or friends. And well, it’s just perfect any mealtime!

Sweet potatoes are loaded with antioxidants and quite high in Beta Carotene. (a precursor to Vitamin A) They are also prized for being low on the glycemic index meaning they help to slow the release of glucose in the blood. So for anyone wanting to get healthier this year, you should consider adding this delicious root veggie to your meal  plan.

Breakfast Nachos

What You Need

1-2 Large sweet potatoes
1 Large onion
1 sweet bell pepper
1 zucchini
1/2 package of Alberta pork bacon
2 farm fresh eggs (or more if desired)
1 cup eggs whites (for a lighter version)
small block of quality cheese (I used old white cheddar)
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley
Salsa

What To Do

  1. Chop veggies (you can use whatever you have on hand) and slice sweet potato into thin slices. Set veggies aside for now and arrange potato slices on parchment paper lined baking sheet as you would nachos. Sprinkle them lightly with olive oil. Bake at 375 F for approximately 20 mins depending on thickness.
  2. While the potatoes are baking, chop bacon and add the veggie mixture to a medium sized fry pan. Sauté for about 10 mins on med heat or until bacon is cooked. Remove and set aside.
  3. Scramble eggs along with egg whites and lightly fry in the same pan used for cooking veggies and bacon. Do not overcook.
  4. Remove the potatoes from the oven while arranging the veggies along with the eggs on to the potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese if desired. Bake again for a couple minutes, enough to melt cheese.
  5. Remove and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with your favourite salsa. Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy:  Wildheart Fitness & Nutrition

 

Recipe: Pork Rolls with Almond Butter Sauce

This delicious and healthy pho – inspired pork roll recipe is excellent for those days when time is limited. It’s a perfect option for lunch and one the whole family will love!

Pork provides good lean protein with ample amounts of nutrients including B vitamins, zinc, iron and more. The almond butter sauce offers additional protein and fats with nutrients that promote superior health benefits while the veggies give a colourful, nutritious crunch.

This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, peanut-free and is very low in sugar so it meets the dietary demands for a variety of people with health concerns. The almond butter sauce literally mocks a peanut flavour and avoids the sugar content in hoisin sauce.

Pork Rolls

FOR THE PORK
1 small pkg pork tenderloin (approx. 1 pound)
1 tsp Alberta Pork Spice

FOR THE ROLLS
1 head of lettuce or other greens, chopped
3 cups carrots, shredded
2 green onions, sliced
a few handfuls of pea shoots
4 cups mung bean sprouts
1 bunch fresh basil, parsley or cilantro (optional)

FOR THE SAUCE
1 cup raw almond butter
1/2 cup water
2-3 tbsp lime juice
4 tsp maple syrup
4 tsp tamari
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of sea salt

ASSEMBLY 

Place all ingredients for the almond butter sauce in a high speed blender and process until smooth. Adjust to your taste and add a little more water if mixture is too thick, set aside.

Trim outer fat from pork tenderloin. Sprinkle a light layer of Alberta Pork Spice evenly onto the meat. Cook tenderloin over med heat in a fry pan or on the BBQ until done. Set aside.

Moisten rice paper in a large deep bowl of hot water for about thirty seconds until slightly softened. Remove and spread moistened paper onto clean cutting board.

Assemble chopped greens along the middle of the rice paper, drizzle some of the almond butter sauce over the greens.

Slice the pork tenderloin into thin slices. Position a few small slices on top the bed of greens on the rice paper. Continue to layer small amounts of the rest of the veggies.

Tightly roll the mixture while folding the ends in. The completed rolls should stick together as shown in photo.

Serve with additional sauce. Enjoy!

Makes 12 servings.

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Recipe courtesy:  Carrie Mullaly Wildheart Fitness & Nutrition