Chuleta frita – fried pork chop recipe that is easy to follow and delivers flavorful meat topped with fried onions.
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Read on for details, useful tips and a short video demo of the recipe (2-3 mins)
What is Chuleta?
Chuleta is the Spanish word for a cutlet or a thin chop. It is pronounced choo-le-tah.
A chuleta can be carved from a variety of red meats and poultry – chuleta de cerdo (from pig), chuleta de cordero (from lamb), chuleta de pollo (from chicken) and so on.
Chuletas de Puerco
Chuletas de puerco are pork chops or pork cutlets.
In Spanish cerdo and puerco are used interchangeably to mean pork and you may hear both names for the delicious pan fried pork cutlets recipe we are preparing here.
What Part of Pork is Chuleta?
Typically chuleta is a thin, bone-in loin chop with a good amount of fat around the edges of the lean meat in the middle. The perfect thickness for a chuleta is about 3/4 inch to 1 inch.
It is cut perpendicular to the spine of the animal and usually contains a rib bone or part of the vertebra. In the US look for thin pork rib chop or thin bone-in New York pork chop.
The fat and the bone both lend flavor and make the chuleta taste better. In Puerto Rico for example it is a tradition to gnaw the rich meat and crispy fat off the el huesito (little bone) once the chop has been consumed.
That beeing said, boneless pork cutlets from the center loin can also be used to make chuletas fritas. It depends on availability and the country.
Chuletas Fritas
Chuletas fritas (fritas translates to fried) are a staple lunch and dinner option in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and other nations in the Caribbean and Central America.
Not only are they an inexpensive cut of meat that cooks very fast, but they derive a lot of flavor from a zesty vinaigrette-like marinade.
Even though chuletas are frequently deep fried, many contemporary cooks opt for pan-frying in less oil, more of pan-searing really. It is up to you. We lean towards a generous amount of cooking oil in the frying pan.
Ingredients for Chuletas Fried Pork Chops
Chuleta pork chops. Again, thin bone-in rib chops are an excellent choice.
Marinade. The key to the flavorful tenderness of the chuleta is the marinade. Its acidic nature tenderizes the meat and infuses it with spice notes. Exact marinade ingredients vary from country to country but they always include:
- white vinegar and lime juice (in Cuba bitter orange as well)
- sazón seasoning
- often times adobo seasoning
- dried oregano, garlic (minced or powder), salt and black pepper
We prefer sazon only, because adobo is more of a poultry seasoning, but you can use either one or both.
Cooking oil. You can use corn oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil or any high point frying oil.
Onions. The fried onions are a Cuban cuisine element. They do not need to be prepared and added but because they do not take long to make we usually do. Go with yellow onions if you choose to make them.
TIP: Sazon, the distinctive orange colored Caribbean seasoning employed in the marinade, gets its color from annatto, which also gives it an earthy, slightly smoky flavor, and turmeric. Other spices in sazon include cumin, coriander, garlic powder, turmeric, ground dried oregano, onion powder, pepper. You can buy it ready made or make your own (see Recipe Card).
How to Make Chuletas Fritas
The process is really simple. Refer to the pictures in the printable Recipe Card below or watch the short demonstrational video. Basically,
Mix the marinade in a non-reactive large bowl. It will have a runny paste consistency. Coat each pork chop and cover with plastic. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before frying.
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, to about 350 F. You can use enough oil to fill the skillet about 1/2 inch deep or about half-way of the chuletas’ thickness.
Fry the chuletas in batches, about 4-5 minutes on one side side, then flip and continue frying on the other side until the internal temperature hits the 145 F mark (insert the meat thermometer int he center, not near the bone). Remove from the pan and keep warm on a platter.
Fry the onions (optional).
How Long Does It Take for a Chuleta to Cook?
Anywhere between 7 and 10 minutes. It depends on:
- the exact pork chop cut,
- the thickness of the meat as well as the bone
- how much oil you are using
Simply measure the temperature in the center of the chuleta with a meat thermometer and once it is near 145 F transfer it to a plate and tent with foil (it will continue to cook).
Tips for a Perfect Chuleta Frita
- do not trim the fat from the pork rib chops – during pan frying it becomes crisp and flavorful and is simply delightful to bite into
- do not leave the cutlets in the marinade for too long – overnight is ideal, too much longer can overtenderize the meat and make it mushy
- do not overcook the chuletas – the internal temperature of 145F is enough, they will become tough if overcooked
- the more oil you have in the pan the faster they will cook and reach the ideal temperature so be careful
Side Dishes to Serve with Chuleta
These fried pork chops pair well with a vast number of sides, but some traditional Caribbean and Central American options that are served alongside them include:
- Arroz blanco (white rice)
- Arroz con gandulez (rice with pigeon peas)
- Cuban black beans
- Other types of beans (pinto, red kidney)
- Tostones
- Yuca frita (fried yuca)
- Pasta salads
- Green salads
- Avocado
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store. Refrigerate any leftover chuletas fritas in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat. To warm up the prok chops without drying them out brush them lightly with water, wrap them in parchment paper, then in alumimnum foil and reheat in a 300 F oven for about 12 minutes. Alternatively, reheat them in the microwave for about 2 minutes (again brush with a bit of water).
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Chuleta Frita (Marinated Fried Pork Chop)
Pan fried pork chops or chuletas fritas in Spanish are a favorite pork dinner or lunch option in the home cooking traditions of Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, other island nations of the Carribean and across Central America. Here we serve them Cuban style with fried onions.
Ingredients
Chuleta Frita
- 8 pork rib chops, thin cut (about 1 inch)
- 1/2 cup cooking oil (or as needed)*
- 2 yellow onions (optional, if you choose to fry them)
Marinade
- 2 tsp sazon seasoning, adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp adobo seasoning (optional)**
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt, adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, adjust to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
- Mix the marinade ingredients in a non-reactive bowl that is large enough to hold all the pork chops.
- One by one thoroughly coat each chuleta in marinade.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 3-4 hours to overnight. Longer than that can make the meat mushy.
- Before frying bring the chuletas to room temperature. Fill a frying pan with enough oil to cover a chop about half way through (or adjust as per Notes below). Heat over medium-high heat to about 350 F.
- Working in batches of 2 fry chops for 5 minutes on one side, then flip over and fry the other side until the internal temperature reaches 145 F. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Once the chuletas are done, use remaining oil in the pan to fry the onions (if making).
- Serve the chuletas topped with fried onions (if using) and a side of black beans, white rice, salad etc.
Notes
If this is your first time making chuletas please read the post above. It contains a lot of useful information that cannot fit in this card.
*You can use as little oil as about 4 tbsp and sear the chuletas or fill the frying pan with as much oil as to cover the chuletas about half way through to pan fry them. You can also add more oil and deep fry them - if so be prepared for them to cook much faster, you may not need to flip them over at all.
Cooking oil options include: corn oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, lard.
**We prefer to leave out the adobo. Feel free to omit or increase it to taste.
Sazon packets contain about 1 1/2 tsp seasoning. We like to use just a bit more than that.
To make your own sazon seasoning mix together the ingredients below and store in an airtight container.
- 2 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2-1/2 tbsp annatto
- 2 tbsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 1-1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp black pepper
To make your own adobo seasoning mix together the ingredients below and store in an airtight container.
- 5 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp ground oregano
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric
- 2 tbs kosher salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 771Total Fat: 62gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 45gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 823mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 46g
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