Jesse Colmey
Welcome to our classic schnitzel recipe! Originating from Austria, schnitzel is a beloved dish featuring thin, breaded, and fried cutlets of meat, typically veal or pork. This crispy, golden delight is perfect for a satisfying meal that brings a taste of European tradition to your table. With our step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to create a perfectly seasoned and crunchy schnitzel that’s sure to become a family favorite. Whether you’re looking to recreate a cherished memory or try something new, this recipe will make your cooking experience both fun and delicious. Let’s get started!
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Schnitzel, what you will need
- 12″ Skillet
- Beef Top Round or Pork Loin
- Salt (this is my fav)
- Pepper
- All-Purpose Flour
- Eggs
- Milk
- Unseasoned Breadcrumbs
- Clarified Butter (I use this)
- Lemon
- Parsley
Getting Started
Prepare your Mise en Place which is French for “Everything in its place.” Once your ingredients are prepped it is time to start with the beef or pork. if you bought a whole beef top round like I did, you will want to cut it into 1/4″ cutlets. The same goes if you have a whole pork loin loin, we will want to start with cutlets for this recipe. Sandwich the cutlets between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them down to 1/8″ thickness (as shown below).
To set up the breading station season the flour with the salt and pepper, whisk the eggs and milk, and add the breadcrumbs to three separate dishes (in my case three paper plates :). With a “wet” hand and a “dry” hand dredge the cutlets in the flour coating completely and shaking off the excess. Transfer to the egg wash and be sure to get it all covered so that there are no flour spots remaining. Using the wet hand transfer tot he breadcrumbs and really press them in so that they stick nicely and put them on s sheet pan to rest.
From here you will want to put the whole sheet pan in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This is key! This is where I have failed in the past and ended up with breading either coming off completely during the fry process or getting stuck to the bottom of the pan. This step in refrigerating the cutlets allows the breading to bind to the meat to ensure an even cooking without it falling off. Don’t skip this step it is clutch.
Time to fry the Schnitzel
Once you are ready, heat that butter up in your skillet on medium heat until it is shimmering. Add the culets away from you in the pan and let them cook 3-4 minutes per side or until it gets a nice golden brown color. You may need to adjust the heat and add some additional butter so that the pan does not dry out.
Squeeze a little lemon juice on top and garnish with parsley and you have yourself a delicious meal on your hands. Serve with some potatoes or braised red cabbage and you are all set! Thanks for joining me!
Schnitzel
Ingredients
- 1 lb Beef Top Round or Pork Loin Sliced into 1/4" cutlets
- 8 oz All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper Freshly Ground
- 2 ea Eggs
- ¼ C Milk
- 8 oz Unseasoned Breadcrumbs or Panko Fine Ground
- ½ C Ghee or Clarified Butter
- 2 ea Lemon Wedges
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley for garnish Finely Chopped
Instructions
- Take your cutlets and put them in-between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to about 1/8" thick.
- Season cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper to taste
- Set up a 3-step breading station by adding 1tsp salt and the 1/2 tsp pepper to the all purpose flour on a plate or tray, whisk eggs and milk and add to a second tray, finally add breadcrumbs to a third tray.
- With one "dry" hand and one "wet" hand, dredge the cutlets in the flour shaking off excess and add to the egg mixture. Using the wet hand cover the cutlet completely until no flour spots remain. From there add the cutlet to the breadcrumbs and really press them into the surface so they stick.
- Form here add to a clean sheet pan and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to ensure the coating binds to the meat.
- In a medium sized sauté pan heat butter on medium-high heat until shimmering and pan fry the cutlets until golden brown and beautiful. If needed add more butter to the pan to ensure the bottom surface is fully coated.
- Garnish with fresh squeezed lemon and parsley and serve
