Veal Milanese (Cotoletta alla Milanese)
Classic breaded veal cutlets: pounded thin, breaded, and fried until golden. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 veal chops 1.5 inch /2 cm thick
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cupbreadcrumbs
- 7 ozclarified butter or ghee, or butter + 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Instructions
Instructions
- Pat the veal chops dry with paper towel. Trim away excess fat around the edges without detaching the meat from the bone. Using a very sharp knife, scrape along the exposed bone to remove any loose bits of meat so the edge is clean.
- Place a veal chop on a stable cutting board. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment (optional) and, using a meat tenderizer or the flat side of a mallet, gently pound the chop until the thickness is even across the entire surface. Repeat for all 4 chops.
- Season both sides of each chop lightly with sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste, or wait to season after cooking if you prefer (the recipe lists salt and pepper for final seasoning).
- Set up two shallow dishes: in one, crack and whisk the 2 large eggs until blended; in the other, pour the 1 cup breadcrumbs.
- One at a time, dip each veal chop into the whisked eggs, letting any excess drip off, then transfer immediately to the breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs gently and evenly onto both sides of the meat so the cutlet is fully coated. If needed, press additional breadcrumbs on any thin spots to get an even crust.
- (Optional) With the back of a knife, lightly score the breadcrumb surface in a diamond pattern. This helps the breading adhere and creates an attractive finish — do not cut into the meat.
- Heat the fat listed in the ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat: use 7 oz clarified butter or ghee, or use butter together with the 2 tablespoons peanut oil. Heat until the fat is shimmering and a gentle sizzle occurs when you flick a few breadcrumbs into the pan (do not let it smoke).
- Working in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary so the pan is not crowded), carefully place the breaded chops in the hot fat. Maintain a gentle but steady sizzle; reduce heat slightly if the fat is browning too quickly.
- Cook until the underside is golden brown, about 4–5 minutes, then flip and cook the second side until golden brown and the veal is cooked through, about another 4–5 minutes. Adjust heat as needed so the crust browns without burning.
- Transfer cooked cutlets to a plate lined with paper towels to drain briefly.
- Transfer the veal milanese to a serving plate. Season with additional sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper to taste and serve immediately with the lemon wedges.
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- meat mallet or flat-sided mallet
- Skillet
- Shallow dishes
- Paper Towels
Notes
The realMilanese cutletalways has the bone, remember not to remove it.
Pound the veal chopsbetween two sheets of baking paper or even in a freezer bag, this will prevent the meat from sticking to the cutting board.
Before breading, allow the meat to sit atroom temperature for 20 minutes.
The meat should never be salted before cooking, because salt releases liquids.Always salt right before serving,preferably with sea salt flakes.
Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper, so that the breading sticks better to the meat.
Whisk the eggs very wellbefore proceeding with the breading.
Although you can bread the veal just once,for extra crispy cutlets, I recommend making adouble breading, this means to dip the cutlets again in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumbs.
Clarified butteris used because it has a higher smoking point. If you want to useregular butter, add a drizzle of peanut oil, it should prevent it from browning too much.
While cooking the cutlet,spoon a small amount of butter over the topto ensure even cooking.
Pound the veal chopsbetween two sheets of baking paper or even in a freezer bag, this will prevent the meat from sticking to the cutting board.
Before breading, allow the meat to sit atroom temperature for 20 minutes.
The meat should never be salted before cooking, because salt releases liquids.Always salt right before serving,preferably with sea salt flakes.
Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper, so that the breading sticks better to the meat.
Whisk the eggs very wellbefore proceeding with the breading.
Although you can bread the veal just once,for extra crispy cutlets, I recommend making adouble breading, this means to dip the cutlets again in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumbs.
Clarified butteris used because it has a higher smoking point. If you want to useregular butter, add a drizzle of peanut oil, it should prevent it from browning too much.
While cooking the cutlet,spoon a small amount of butter over the topto ensure even cooking.