Long before I had an obsession for spicy fried chicken sandwiches from fast-food joints, my mother would sandwich fried pork chops between slices of soft white bread, adding a few dashes of Frank’s RedHot. Recently, I started taking my childhood memories of these biweekly dinners and exploring the seemingly endless flavors this classic sandwich could take on, using my mother’s recipe as the foundation for something new and special.
Fried pork chop sandwiches speak to Black Americans’ resourcefulness and desire to create enjoyable meals while on a budget. Preparing meals like this one, inspired by the recipes of my ancestors, brings me closer to fully grasping that food is what we make of it. There is no one way to define blackness, but our shared experience is that we’ve all overcome impossible obstacles while still making room for joy.
For my update, I married my mother’s beloved sandwich with a thin and crispy pork schnitzel. I pounded out the pork and dipped it in an egg-flour-cornstarch dredge to create a light cutlet and added sweet and slightly tart flavors with a date chutney and a crunchy apple-fennel slaw, bound in a creamy orange dressing. The bold, balanced flavors make the sandwich elevated enough for a weekend dinner party.
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Here are some tips to keep in mind when you make it:
It doesn’t have to be a sandwich. Fried pork chops weren’t always served sandwich-style in my mother’s kitchen when I was growing up. When it wasn’t, she usually served it with a side of potatoes and other vegetables. If you want to go this route, the slaw and chutney pair perfectly with roasted red or yellow-skin potatoes or fried russet potato wedges.
You can swap the pork for chicken. The coating mixture works great with a chicken cutlet if you’re looking to stay away from pork. Pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs to an even thickness and fry until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees and the outside is golden brown and crispy.
The slaw gets better with time. I love making dishes that keep on giving. This slaw is great to make ahead because the flavor improves over time, as the vegetables marinate in the dressing, but it’s also perfectly delicious when made right before frying the pork chops.
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