Of all the “improvements” the Pork Army has brought to Tazmilly, this new fast-food trend is amongst the most questionable. Sugar drinks, giant cheeseburgers, and an array of pig-based “achem” cuisine can be found in almost every shop and vending machine in the area. I even heard that this particular Pork Chips snack is standard issue for those in service of King P! Why anyone would want to recreate this greasy junk food in their own kitchen is beyond me, but the recipe on the back of the bag is as follows…
This one started as a self-described “un-suggestion,” but I like a challenge so I thought I’d give it a try!
The first thing that comes to mind when I think ‘pork chips’ is prosciutto chips. These are simply thinly sliced pieces of prosciutto, baked in an oven until crispy. Although they’re very tasty, in my mind prosciutto is a little too refined for our bumbling pork trooper friends.
It turns out that in the original Japanese, this item is called pork “cutlet” chips; or, more specifically: Tonkatsu chips. Tonkatsu is a popular Japanese dish comprised of breaded, pan-fried pork loin, and it’s where this recipe begins.
Click ‘Continue Reading’ to begin the journey…
+ Pork Chips +
ITEMS
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Boneless Pork Loin Chops | 4 pieces (3/4-1″ thick) |
| AP Flour | 1/2 cup |
| Egg (lightly beaten) | 2 each |
| Panko Breadcrumbs | 3/4 cup |
| Canola Oil | 3/4 cup + 2 cups |
| Salt | to taste |
| Pepper | to taste |
EQUIP
- 2″ Deep Sauté Pan
- Whisk
- Tongs
- Slotted Metal Spoon
- 3 Shallow Dishes (for breading station)
- Baking Sheet and Roasting Rack
- Sharp Knife (or Mandoline)
WALKTHROUGH
- Set up breading station as pictured, below:
- Season the pork loin chops with salt and pepper. Dredge them in flour. After shaking off the excess flour, move it to the egg mix and coat completely on both sides. Lastly, move it to the next dish and press into the panko crumbs to cover. Repeat with all four pieces.
- Heat 3/4 cup of oil in the sauté pan on medium-high heat, and gently place the breaded cutlets in, two at a time (you can test the oil to see if it’s hot enough by flicking a little of the leftover panko into it to see if it bubbles.)
- Cook the pork for 2-3 min per side and use the tongs to remove them from the pan. Transfer each cooked cutlet to a roasting rack to cool.
- Once cool, wrap in plastic wrap and place the pork cutlets in the freezer overnight, or until frozen (it’s easier to slice them thinner this way)
- Remove frozen cutlets from the freezer and let them thaw for about 20 minutes, until malleable but still firm
- Using a very sharp knife, or a mandoline (be careful! Use the guard!), slice the pork into very thin pieces
- Place 2 cups of oil in a pan on medium high heat for frying
- Gently transfer the pork slices to the frying oil (I only added about a handful at a time) and cook until golden brown
- Remove the chips to a roasting rack with a slotted metal spoon and season liberally with salt and pepper (this IS greasy junk food after all)
- Let chips cool slightly (they will be hot!) but otherwise they are best eaten right away!
Hey! Thanks for reading all the the way to the end! You’re awesome :D! If you haven’t already and are looking for more nerdy food stuff, consider following me on Twitter, Facebook, tumblr and Instagram. I post a lot of work in progress pictures for the blog as well as some stuff from my real job as a pastry chef. If that sounds like something you’d be into, please check out those links above! Anyway, take care everyone and I’ll see you next week with an all new recipe!
