Gently pound the meat cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper until they are about 3-4 mm thick. Pound carefully to avoid tearing the meat. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Schnitzel
- Total time - 30 minutes
- Prep time - 10 minutes
- Cook time - 20 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Country: Germany
In Germany, Schnitzel is often made from pork (Schnitzel 'Wiener Art'), which is the most popular variant. The key to perfect preparation is pounding the meat thinly and frying it correctly in a sufficient amount of fat to create the typical wavy and airy crust.
Ingredients
Ingredients for Schnitzel
- 4 pieces thin pork or veal cutlets
- to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 2 pieces eggs
- 100 g breadcrumbs
- sufficient amount clarified butter or lard for frying
- as needed lemon slices for serving
Optional Side Dishes
- boiled potatoes with parsley
- potato salad
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the meat
Step 2: Breading
Prepare three shallow plates: put flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, and breadcrumbs in the third.
First, coat the meat evenly in flour, then dip it into the eggs, and finally coat it in the breadcrumbs. Gently press the breadcrumbs to help them stick, but do not press too hard to allow the characteristic air pockets to form during frying.
Step 3: Frying
In a sufficiently large pan, heat the clarified butter or lard so that the fat covers the entire bottom to a height of about 1 cm. The schnitzel should 'swim' in the fat.
When the fat is hot, place the schnitzel in the pan and fry it for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side, until it is beautifully golden and crispy. While frying, you can gently shake the pan to allow the hot fat to ripple over the top of the schnitzel, creating the classic waves.
Step 4: Serving
Remove the fried schnitzel from the pan and let it drain on a paper towel to remove excess fat. Serve immediately, garnished with a lemon slice. It is traditionally served with potato salad or boiled potatoes with parsley.