Thin, tenderized meat cutlets are dredged in flour, egg and bread crumbs then pan fried.
When I was in Vienna, I just could not get enough of the famous Wiener schnitzel. Its name derives from the German word for Vienna, Wien. Something or someone from Vienna, is called, Wiener, while schnitzel means cutlet and the traditional meat used for schnitzel in Vienna is veal. When different meats like chicken or pork are used the name Wiener is normally dropped from the title of the dish. Schnitzel is popular in most countries that once formed the Austro-Hungarian Empire and there are several variations.
Schnitzel is often served with a side of french fries or potato salad and garnished with a lemon wedge and parsley. You may like to try it with one of these side dishes: sweet potato salad, sweet and sour cabbage or cabbage noodles.
It pairs nicely with pilsner or lager beers such the Czech Pilsner Urquell, Budweiser Budvar, or the Slovak Golden Pheasant. Of course, in Vienna, wine is more popular, and I’d suggest one of their exquisite local Rieslings from the Wachau valley.
Wiener Schnitzel (Veal, Pork or Chicken)
Ingredients
- 1 pork or veal tenderloin or 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ¼ cup light vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp lard
Seasoning Mixture
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp caraway seeds
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut tenderloin into 1-inch thick pieces (skip this step for chicken version)
- Pound with meat mallet between plastic wrap or parchment until evenly ¼ inch thin
- Rub meat pieces with seasoning mixture
- Put flour, eggs, crumbs each into a separate wide bowl or plate
- With the help of a fork, dredge the meat, one piece at a time into the flour, then coat with egg, then roll in the bread crumbs
- Heat the oil and lard in a large shallow frying pan
- When the oil has reached medium temperature, carefully place the breaded meat pieces in the pan and fry for about 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Cook in batches if necessary but don’t overcrowd the pan.
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