The Crispiest Pork Chops, Giardiniera Not Optional

Czech Republic also has various meaty takes on the schnitzel, as well as a vegetarian riff made of breaded and fried cheese known as smažený sýr, while in several South and Central American countries, schnitzel is referred to as milanesa, and depending on the region, might be made with beef, chicken, veal, or pork. There are many reasons that this highly democratic category of dishes is so widely beloved: It transforms a cheap, often tough piece of meat into a tender and quick-cooking meal. The thin, evenly pounded meat retains its juiciness within a crispy batter, and even served plain, it checks all the necessary boxes for deliciousness.

Schnitzels are also the perfect vehicle for any number of regional and seasonal toppings and accompaniments. The Austrians and Germans traditionally serve their wiener schnitzel with potatoes and lemon slices; Japanese cooks typically serve tonkatsu—effectively pork schnitzel—with a sweet-tart brown sauce, spicy mustard, and shredded cabbage. In Finland, schnitzel is sometimes topped with a whole fried egg in a dish called oopperaleike, while Germany's jägerschnitzel (hunter's schnitzel) is topped with a creamy mushroom gravy.

A milanesa might be topped with ham, cheese, and tomato sauce in Argentina or Uruguay, while in Mexico, it is often served between sesame buns in a cemita poblana, a sandwich with a variety of fixings like avocado, chipotle chiles, and fresh cheese.

Internationally, schnitzel is most frequently served with lemon wedges (the acidity helps to cut the dish's characteristic fattiness), and in some Scandinavian countries, briny capers and anchovies are frequent accompaniments as well. Inspired by a recent trip to Chicago, I decided to add a similarly salty-sour component: Italian-American-style giardiniera.

In Italy, giardiniera is usually served as an antipasto. However, in the U.S. (particularly in the Chicago area), the oily, spicy pickled vegetables are used as a relish on hot dogs, subs, and the iconic Italian beef sandwich. The rich pickling liquid—a mix of oil, vinegar, garlic, and spices—soaks into whatever it touches, while the tangy vegetables—a shaggy combination of cauliflower, carrots, celery, and hot peppers—provide crunch, acidity, and an irresistible pop of peppery heat and salt.

Our recipe makes more giardiniera than you'll need for a weeknight schnitzel supper, but don't even think about scaling down. The briny preserves get even better with age, and if you're anything like us, you'll find yourself putting them on everything—scrambled eggs, bruschetta, baked potatoes, even pizza.

Here’s how to pull off the crispiest, juiciest schnitzel and the best batch of giardiniera.

While you can find jars of giardiniera in the condiment aisle at the grocery store, making your own is so worth the effort. Plus, it's customizable: while not traditional, our recipe calls for green olives, for an extra hit of umami. If you prefer a milder flavor, remove the seeds from the banana peppers, or leave them out entirely. For an extra-spicy version, leave the seeds in, and add a pinch or two of crushed red chile flakes to the brine.

Salt-pickling is time-consuming, so cut down on the wait by finely dicing your vegetables before salting and resting overnight in the fridge. This draws out some of the liquid in the vegetables, making them extra crisp while also pre-seasoning them. A hot, concentrated brine will pickle vegetables quickly, so bring the liquid up to a strong simmer before adding. Also, the ingredients in the brine shouldn't be an afterthought: choose a good-quality, pungently-flavored olive oil and a white-wine or champagne vinegar—all the better for sopping up with tender fried pork and crusty bread.

For the most generous cutlets, start with thick, center-cut boneless pork chops, then pound them into thin, wide sheets. A meat tenderizer is ideal for this task, but a rolling pin or even a rubber mallet works great, too. To minimize cleanup, place the chops between two sheets of plastic wrap, or into a large, heavy-duty resealable plastic bag, before pounding.

If you are concerned about noisy hammering (I’m looking at you, apartment dwellers), some butchers will take care of this step for you. This is also an easy step to complete ahead of time—freeze pounded cutlets flat and in a single layer for easy storage and convenient last-minute thawing.

Restaurants typically set up a flour, egg, and bread-crumb battering station using rectangular hotel pans. You can adapt this trick for the home kitchen—and dirty fewer dishes—by piling your dry ingredients on either end of a large rimmed baking sheet, with a bowl or small baking dish of egg set in the center.

Japanese panko bread crumbs fry up crispier than their Italian counterpart, and the addition of grated Parmesan adds an extra layer of richness and umami. Be sure to pat the crumbs firmly onto the pork to help them adhere.

These chops cook and crisp up quickly at medium to medium-high heat, so you can get away with frying in a flavorful olive oil, though clarified butter would also be delicious.

While any large skillet will get the job done, we prefer either copper-core stainless or heavy cast iron here for its excellent heat distribution. If you have a skillet that’s big enough to fry both chops, now is the time to break it out. Otherwise, fry them one at a time to avoid crowding the pan. And don’t worry, the thin cutlets cook in under 10 minutes, so you won’t have to keep the first one warm for long.

Present the fried pork chops whole, with scoops of giardiniera on top, and lemon wedges for squeezing. To serve, cut the meat into strips, tableside, and offer additional giardiniera on the side.