Crispy Portuguese Breaded Pork Cutlets • Bifanas Panadas

For today I have one of those recipes that everyone loves but sometimes forgets how simple it is to make at home, nothing quite like a beautiful plate of crispy, golden fried breaded pork cutlets! Crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, this isn’t complicated at all, but there are a few things you need to know, and done right like this, they are a thousand times better than any pre-made version you’ll find in a store!

Now, this is inspired by the classic Portuguese fried pork steak, a true staple of Portuguese snack culture. In Portugal, these aren’t really thought of as a full meal (though they absolutely can be!), they’re more of a petisco, a snack, something you grab alongside a croquete, a chicken pastry, or one of those little savory bites you find piled up at the counter of any decent café or tasquinha. They’re especially popular tucked into a crusty bread roll as a sandwich, simple, satisfying, and absolutely delicious. The kind of thing you eat standing up and wonder why you don’t make them at home more often!

Now, I’ll be honest with you, pork loin is not necessarily my go-to cut for this kind of thing, I usually lean toward cuts with a bit more fat, like pork collar (cachaço), which stay juicier and more flavorful. But if what you want is a thicker, meatier breaded steak with a proper crust, then this recipe is perfect for you! The secret is in a good marinade, pounding the steaks thin and even, and seasoning them well. The breading and frying part is actually the easiest part of the whole thing, do the prep right and you’ll get steaks that are tender and flavorful on the inside and wonderfully crunchy on the outside, perfect for a proper meal or loaded into a sandwich ;D Let’s get to the recipe!

Crispy Portuguese Breaded Pork Cutlets • Bifanas Panadas

Servings: 4
Time: 1r
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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Gotta love these breaded pork cutlets, i love how simple you can make a bunch and how versatile and delicious, way more interesting than a plain fried pork steak hehehehe.

Ingredients

Pork – 4 (Thick Steaks)
Beer – 250ml (Sagres or Super Bock)
Bay Leaf – 1 Leaf
Garlic – 3 Cloves
Egg – 1
Breadcrumbs – +/- 100g
Vegetable Oil – For Frying (I used Sunflower Oil)
Smoked Paprika – A Pinch
Pepper – A Pinch
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

Start by pounding the steaks covered with cling film, using a rolling pin, until the meat is tender and uniform. Do not pound too much, just enough to tenderize the meat.
Repeat for all the steaks, then place them on a plate with the finely sliced garlic cloves, bay leaf, beer, and a pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
When it’s time to fry the steaks, remove them from the refrigerator and place them on paper towels to remove excess moisture.
While the steaks are draining, prepare a plate with the whisked egg and a pinch of salt and another plate with the breadcrumbs.

Season the steaks with paprika, salt, and pepper on both sides, then dip them in the whisked egg and coat them well with the breadcrumbs. Set aside and repeat for the remaining steaks.

Finally, heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over medium heat, at least 3 fingers deep. When the oil is hot, add 1 or 2 steaks and fry both sides until golden brown.

Notes & Tips: A great trick is to buy a good whole piece of pork loin, pop it in the freezer for about 30 minutes until it’s semi-frozen, and then slice it yourself, this way you can cut the steaks as thick or as thin as you want, which comes in handy for other recipes too ;D

Pound the steaks, whether you use a meat mallet, a rolling pin, or the bottom of a heavy pot, aim for an even thickness of about 1–1.5cm (about 1/2 inch). This ensures they cook evenly all the way through and stay tender.

If you want extra crispy, change the traditional breadcrumbs to something like panko breadcrumbs.

Let the breaded steaks rest before frying. After coating, leave them to sit for about 15 minutes if you can, the breadcrumbs will adhere much better to the meat and you’ll get a crispier, more even crust.

The oil needs to be hot, but not smoking. A simple test, drop a small piece of bread into the oil, if it bubbles immediately and turns golden quickly, you’re good to go. Too cool and the coating will absorb oil and go soggy, too hot and it’ll burn before the meat cooks through.

Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry 1 or 2 steaks at a time so the oil temperature stays consistent. Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and you’ll end up with steamed, greasy steaks instead of crispy golden ones.

Season your breadcrumbs if you want an extra punch of flavor, a pinch of garlic powder, more smoked paprika, or dried herbs like oregano or thyme mixed into the breadcrumbs gives the crust a lovely aromatic kick, but don’t buy already seasoned breadcrumbs, these are not always bad but they tend to have very strong very specific flavours and that’s never what you want on your homemade food.

These are fantastic in a sandwich. Stuff one into a good crusty roll with a little mustard, some mayo, or even a squeeze of lemon, this is exactly how you’d eat them in Portugal, alongside the croquetes and chicken pastries at the counter of your local café!

This recipe for Crispy Portuguese Breaded Pork Cutlets • Bifanas Panadas was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Bifes de Lombo de Porco Panados foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.