German Schnitzel
Being summertime, I wanted to work on dishes that are more, well, suited for summer weather (and in Texas, that means H-O-T). Somehow when I searched on "summertime dinner" I got several listings for Schnitzel. Since I haven't cooked any before, I just went with it.
A little bit of linguistics here: "Schnitzel", as the name suggests, is Bavarian in origin, so calling it German or Austrian is acceptable. Schnitzel also is not the name of a specific dish, but instead describes a method of cooking where thinly-sliced meat is breaded and cooked/fried in oil. Thin cuts of meat cook relatively quickly, allowing the inside to finish about the same time the outside breading turns a golden brown.
To most of us in the English-speaking world, we think of only one type of schnitzel - Weiner Schnitzel, which is made from veal cutlets (another bit of trivia: the name "Weiner" is from the root word "Wein", the Austrian name for the city of Vienna where this dish is said to have originated). In more practical terms, schnitzel can be prepared using any type of meat, with pork (jägerschnitzel) and chicken (hähnchen-schnitzel) being the most popular. Jägerschnitzel, the focus of this recipe, is said to have been popular with hunters (jäger in German) and is usually served with a mushroom sauce, which is included here.
Adapted from The Stay At Home Chef
A traditional dish from Germany made with thinly sliced pork breaded and fried to a golden brown. An optional mushroom sauce is included.
Adapted from The Stay At Home Chef
- 4 boneless pork chops, no more than 1/2 inch thick (about 1 lb)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
- lemon slices for garnish (optional)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup milk
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Trim any excess fat from the edges of the pork. Place the chops between two pieces of plastic wrap on a cutting board or countertop, then using a meat mallet pound the chops until they are about 1/4 inch thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- In a skillet, add oil to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat to a temperature of 350 F.
- Set up a breading station as follows: In one shallow dish place the flour, in a bowl whisk the eggs together and add the lemon juice, and in another shallow dish place the bread crumbs. Bread each chop by first dredging in flour, then coating with egg, then coating with bread crumbs.
Cook the breaded chops in the skillet for 3-4 minutes per side or until the crust is golden brown. Remove and allow to drain on a plate lined with a paper towel. Serve with lemon slices as garnish if desired.
In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook 3-5 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened and browning.
Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and mix together for 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth and then the milk. stirring to avoid any lumps forming.
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Servings 4
Serving Size 1 schnitzel (approx. 4 oz., without sauce)
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 482kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 11.9g19%
- Saturated Fat 3.9g20%
- Cholesterol 197mg66%
- Sodium 882mg37%
- Potassium 512mg15%
- Total Carbohydrate 45g15%
- Dietary Fiber 2.1g9%
- Sugars 2.5g
- Protein 45.8g92%
- Calcium 82 mg
- Iron 5 mg
- Vitamin D 360 IU
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
- It is said if the breading bubbles up (i.e. separates from the surface of the meat) then the schnitzel is cooked properly.
- The Nutritional Info section does not include the mushroom sauce as it is entirely optional. Selected per-serving nutritional information for the sauce is as follows:
- Calories - 117
- Total Fat - 7.6g
- Sodium - 264mg
- Total Carbs - 8.1g
- Protein - 5.5g