Pork Chop Schnitzel

At Ladder 4 Wine Bar in Detroit, MI—one of our Best New Restaurants of 2023—chef John Yelinek bucks tradition by making schnitzel with thick bone-in pork chops rather than the more classic thinly pounded cutlet. It’s a deliberate choice that increases the ratio of meat to breading while showcasing good locally sourced pork. Chilling the generously seasoned chops for an extended period of time allows the meat to slowly dry-brine within its panko shell, better regulating how it cooks. The breading is such an effective insulator, it’s imperative to remove the chops far ahead of being done, allowing for residual heat to do the rest of the cooking.