Cotoletta alla Milanese — Bone-In Veal Chop Fried in Clarified Butter

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in veal rib chops, pounded evenly to 5–6 mm, meat extending well beyond the rib bone
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 200 g fine Italian breadcrumbs, not panko — fine crumb only
• 300 g clarified butter, made from unsalted butter: melted, foam skimmed, clear fat decanted from milk solids
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, for seasoning immediately after frying
• 4 lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. 1
   Place each veal rib chop on a clean surface. Using a meat mallet, pound the meat firmly and evenly to 5–6 mm thickness, working outward so the meat spreads well beyond the rib bone into the orecchia d'elefante form. The chop should be uniform in thickness across its full surface. Do not season the meat at this stage.
2. 2
   Set up two wide, shallow vessels: one with the beaten egg, one with the fine breadcrumbs spread in an even layer. Dip each pounded chop in the beaten egg, allowing the excess to fall away. Lay immediately into the breadcrumbs and press firmly on both sides so the crumb adheres fully and evenly across the entire surface, including the thin edges. The coating should be dense and uniform, with no bare patches.
3. 3
   This is where the dish lives or dies. Heat the clarified butter in a wide, heavy pan to 160–170°C — confirmed by a pinch of breadcrumb dropped into the fat, which should sizzle steadily without darkening immediately. The temperature must be low enough to cook the veal through without burning the crust; too high and the exterior browns before the interior is done. Add the coated chops — in batches if necessary; do not crowd. Fry 4–5 minutes per side without moving, until the crust is deep even gold, not brown, and the butter smells clean and nutty.
4. 4
   Lift the cotolette from the pan and drain briefly. Season immediately with fine sea salt while the crust is still hot. Serve at once with lemon wedges alongside — nothing further.