Bone-In Pork Chop Sandwich Recipe

Chicago has its fair share of iconic dishes, fromdeep dish pizzato the Chicago-stylehot dog, but not all of these unique eats are well known outside of the city limits. Allow me to introduce one of the strangest: the bone-in pork chop sandwich. Yep, you read that right. This sandwich features a pork chop with its bone still firmly attached. Jim's Original is probably the most famous place serving the odd item, though I'm a big fan of Maxwell Street Depot.

Why do so many Chicagoans order these, knowing full well that they could get distracted and chip a tooth? Well, because the pork chops are cooked until they're golden brown and crispy, which is about as good a combination as you can find. To achieve this, all you need to do is dredge the chops lightly in flour, and cook in a healthy amount of oil.

The toppings are simple but essential. Each sandwich needs a smear of mustard and a load of sautéed onions. Don't cook the onions too much; they need to be brown, but still with some texture. Oh, and if you're feeling brave, add some pickled serranos, which we in Chicago call sport peppers (pickled jalapeños also work).

To be perfectly honest, I'm not exactly sure if the bone is absolutely mandatory, so you can go boneless if you absolutely must (just don't tell anyone, okay?).