Easy German Pork Schnitzel Recipe - The Foodie Affair (2024)

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Pork Schnitzel is a traditional German dish made with thin slices of pork that are lightly fried in a flour, egg, and breadcrumb coating.

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Pork Schnitzel Recipe

Today I get to share one of my favorite pork schnitzel recipes from Germany!

Out of the 28 years Alan served in the Navy, our family was lucky to experience a two year tour inStuttgart, Germany.

That adventure was one of the best times of our lives! We lived on the economy renting a house in a little town calledMöttlingen.

We shopped and ate locally, and quickly became known as “the American family!”

What does schnitzel mean in German?

Schnitzel originated in Austria, which is a thin small piece of meat or cutlet breaded and lightly fried.

Already sounds delicious right?

Pork schnitzel is one of the meals that Iorderednine times out of ten whenwe went out to eat while in Germany. It’s so darn good!

I’m not sure if the simplicity of the dish that my palate likes or the fact that the schnitzel isfried, which is something I don’t normally order.

My taste buds are happy for the change!

What cut of meat to use for schnitzel

There are a variety of meats that can be used for schnitzel; pork,chicken, beef, veal, lamb, and turkey, but there is a common denominator.

All schnitzel is boneless and thinly sliced or tenderized by pounding to about 1/4 inch thickness.

In my opinion, the best cut of meat for schnitzel is Schweine (pork) -Schnitzel.

Use the following cuts:

  • Pork loin chops pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
  • Center cut pork, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
  • Thin cut pork chops

Prepare Pork Schnitzel For Cooking

To make, pound the meat to thin slices, season with salt and pepper, and then dipped into flour followed by beaten eggs and bread crumbs or panko.

Easy German Pork Schnitzel Recipe - The Foodie Affair (3)
Easy German Pork Schnitzel Recipe - The Foodie Affair (4)
Easy German Pork Schnitzel Recipe - The Foodie Affair (5)

That’s IT!

It only takes a couple of minutes to fry golden brown so this meal can be on your table in under 30 minutes!

What to serve with a German Schnitzel meal

This is a recipe that both kids and adults love, andyou don’t have to travel to get a taste of an authentic German meal!

Make this at home serving it with a crisp greensalad, homemade German spätzle or this authentic German potato salad with bacon.

Of course, I wouldn’t forget the beer (bier)!

The Pilsner Urquell is my favorite German specialty beer, which is actually czech as a reader pointed out, but available though out Europe.

It’s light pale lager that is simply delicious!

Can you freeze schnitzel?

Yes, you may freeze the schnitzel either before frying of after cooking and cooling the cutlets.

The following steps are for schnitzel that has been cooked:

  1. Cool the cooked cutlets, and then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or freezer paper in a single layer.
  2. Place baking sheet in the freezer and flash freeze for 20-60 minutes.
  3. Put the frozen cutlets in vacuum sealed bags.
  4. You may also layer two slices of schnitzel between freezer paper before vacuum sealing.

How To re-heat frozen schnitzel

  1. Place frozen schnitzel in the refrigerator and defrost.
  2. Heat it in the oven (300 degrees) on a cookie sheet, with a layer of foil loosely on top.
  3. TIP: Don’t wrap it tight, or the schnitzel crust will get soggy

The following steps are for schnitzel that has NOT been fried:

  1. After coating the meat with flour, egg and bread crumbs Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or freezer paper.
  2. Place in the freezer and let the meat harden completely – 2-3 hours.
  3. Follow the same step for freezing cooked schnitzel, item #3 and #4.

Easy German Pork Schnitzel Recipe - The Foodie Affair (9)

Easy German Pork Schnitzel

Simple pork schnitzel lightly coated with a bread crumb and fried for a traditional German-style schnitzel. Enjoy with a simple salad.

4.85 from 44 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: German

Keyword: pork schnitzel recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 1231kcal

Author: Sandra Shaffer

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add eggs, flour and bread crumbs to three separate shallow dishes and set aside.

  • Add oil to a large skillet and heat oil to 340-350 degrees (I used a candy thermometer to check temperature).

  • Pound pork with a flat side of the mallet until the meat is 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides of pork with salt and pepper.

  • Lightly dip into flour, then egg and finally the bread crumbs.

  • When all pieces are coated fry without crowding the schnitzel. Fry until golden brown. A total of three minutes is all that is required.

  • Remove from skillet and place on a baking sheet with a cooling rack placed on top to let any excess oil drip off the schnitzel.

  • Serve immediately.

Notes

The flour coating is very light dusting. Remove any clumps that might form. The egg dip is a quick coating. Don’t let the pork sit in the egg mix. Gently coat the meat with the bread crumbs. You should not need to pat the bread crumbs on the pork.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 1231kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 115g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 99g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 224mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g

Disclaimer

Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.

Thank you National Pork Board for sponsoring this post. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Love this recipe? You also might like to try

Asian inspiredPork Rice Ballsrecipe,Albondigas Mexican Meatball Soup or my Chicken and Butternut Squash with Coconut Cream Sauce.

Easy German Pork Schnitzel Recipe - The Foodie Affair (2024)

FAQs

Easy German Pork Schnitzel Recipe - The Foodie Affair? ›

To make, pound the meat to thin slices, season with salt and pepper, and then dipped into flour followed by beaten eggs and bread crumbs or panko. That's IT! It only takes a couple of minutes to fry golden brown so this meal can be on your table in under 30 minutes!

What is real German schnitzel made of? ›

The dish's name actually comes from the German word schnitt, which translates to "cut." The most popular type of meat for schnitzel is veal (wiener-schnitzel) or pork (schweine-schnitzel), but you also see varieties made with chicken (hänchen-schnitzel), or turkey (puten-schnitzel).

What Germans eat with schnitzel? ›

Germany. In Germany, the term Schnitzel means cutlets in general, not just breaded, fried ones. Schnitzel Wiener Art ('Viennese style schnitzel') is a pounded, breaded and fried cutlet, more often made of pork than of veal. Restaurants mostly serve it with a slice of lemon and french fries.

What cut of pork is schnitzel made from? ›

To make German-style pork schnitzel, pork loin chops are pounded thin, breaded, and quickly pan fried until crisp and delicious. Adam Dolge is a recipe developer and test cook for many leading national food and lifestyle magazines and digital platforms.

What is the secret ingredient to tenderize meat? ›

Whether hosting a holiday cookout, serving up some stir-fry or tackling game meats, baking soda is the go-to meat tenderizer to help make your steak, chicken or turkey silkier, juicier and yummier.

What is the best homemade meat tenderizer? ›

News & Recipes
  • 1) Tea. Tea contains tannins, which are a natural tenderiser. ...
  • 2) Coffee. Coffee adds flavour and acts as a natural tenderiser. ...
  • 3) Cola. The acid content of cola makes it a great tenderiser. ...
  • 4) Pineapple, pawpaw, figs, kiwis. ...
  • 5) Ginger. ...
  • 6) Baking Soda. ...
  • 7) Vinegar. ...
  • 8) Beer or wine.
Nov 9, 2016

What is schnitzel called in America? ›

schnitzel, a thin meat cutlet, pounded until tender and then breaded and fried, that is a culinary staple in German-speaking countries and communities. The Americanized version of the dish is chicken-fried steak.

Why do Jews eat schnitzel? ›

Originally brought from Europe to Israel by Ashkenazi Jews, schnitzel instantly became a hit. During the early years of the state of Israel, veal was not widely available, so chicken or turkey became a substitute. Nowadays, the meat used is generally chicken or turkey breast to keep it kosher.

What's the difference between Wienerschnitzel and a schnitzel? ›

Basically, all schnitzels are breaded and fried thin pieces of meat, but only wiener schnitzel is made with veal. Cooking term: Schnitzel is a cooking term used to describe any meat pounded thin, then breaded and fried. Key ingredient: Schnitzel is made with pork, chicken, beef, or veal.

How to tell if pork schnitzel is cooked? ›

Checking Doneness Without a Thermometer

If the juices that come out of the pork run clear or are very faintly pink, the pork is done cooking. If the juices are not clear, continue cooking the pork and check again later.

What temperature should schnitzel be cooked at? ›

Drizzle more olive oil over each piece. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip chicken and continue baking until no longer pink in the center and the breading is lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

What's the difference between pork cutlet and pork schnitzel? ›

Pork Schnitzel or "Cutlet"

"Schnitzel", for the uninitiated, is German for "cutlet" which is usually made with veal and thinly pounded, breaded and fried. As for this schnitzel recipe, it is made with thinly pounded pork cutlets. Those of you looking for a quick, mid-week dinner may be happy with this one.

What do you soak meat in to tenderize it? ›

Make a marinade with acidic components—such as citrus juice, buttermilk, yogurt, wine, vinegar or soda—to help break down tough connective tissue and muscle fibers.

How do you make meat super tender? ›

8 simple tips to make meat softer
  1. Utilize the meat tenderizer. A quick and easy method is the use of the meat tenderizer. ...
  2. Cover the meat with coarse salt. ...
  3. Acid marinade. ...
  4. Marinade with fruit puree. ...
  5. Slow cooking in a pan. ...
  6. Grilling. ...
  7. Add the coarse salt halfway through cooking. ...
  8. Use baking soda.

What is the most effective way to tenderize meat? ›

Tenderizing The Steaks

The first method, and arguably the fastest, is using a fork. Just go over the entire steak, puncturing holes all over. Then flip and repeat. The idea is that opening lots of holes helps moisture escape during cooking.

How do Chinese make their meat so tender? ›

While there are several ways to velvet, a pound of meat needs about two teaspoons of cornstarch and two teaspoons of oil, says Leung. You may also include two to three tablespoons of water. For beef, add a 1/4-teaspoon of baking soda for tenderizing. Additional seasonings are optional and vary from recipe to recipe.

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