Pork Schnitzel

When I studied abroad in Germany, one of my favorite foods to order from a restaurant was any type of Schnitzel. I feel when most people think of Schnitzel, they might think of Weiner Schnitzel (veal), but my favorite and the most common type of schnitzel I found in Germany was a pork version or Schwein-Schnitzel. My other favorite is made with chicken, Hahnchen-Schnitzel (try saying that 10 times fast). The word “Schnitzel” actually refers to any thin, boneless type of cutlet. In this version, the Schnitzel is dipped in a flour mix, and egg-wash and then coated with breadcrumbs and pan-fried until crispy and golden on the outside. Because Schnitzel is so versatile, the type of side-dishes served at a restaurant can vary, but typical ones might be, red cabbage, kartoffle-salat (potato salad) or my favorite, Spaetzel. which is a type of egg noodle/dumpling. We recently had a Lidl open near us and I was pleasantly surprised to find a whole bunch of great German products and Spaetzle was one of them. If you have a Lidl’s near you and are looking for German products, I definitely recommend checking it out, because their prices were super reasonable and much less than what I’ve paid for at other supermarkets as the German products were more of a specialty product. Anyway, back to Schnitzel, this meal is delicious and I love that it takes under 30 minutes to make!

Options, Tips & Substitutions!

1. I like using a center cut pork chop but any boneless pork chop can be used in this recipe.
2. Thin pork is the key to making this schnitzel (the cutlets should not be thicker than a quarter of an inch). The meat tenderizer not only helps achieve the desired thickness, but also makes the pork extremely tender. If you do not have a meat tenderizer, I’ve seen some pretty cool substitutions like placing the meat in a ziplock bag and then using a heavy bottom pan to pound to 1/4 inch thick. I tried to take a picture of a “before and after” using my meat tenderizer to see the difference in thickness. The one on the right has been pounded to just under a quarter inch thick.
3. Boneless chicken breast can be substituted for the pork. Of course this makes a totally different type of schnitzel, but like a mentioned in the intro, it’s equally delicious. Just use the same quantity of chicken breast (1.5-2lbs) and then follow the recipe exactly the same.
4. While I almost always use seasoned breadcrumbs for my recipes, I like using plain breadcrumbs in this recipe and seasoning them myself. If you are using seasoned breadcrumbs and they have already have salt and pepper, you might not want to add any additional salt and pepper into the breadcrumbs.
5. Taking time in the beginning to prep and set up a work station really helps make me make these quick. Once I have the pork prepared and each of the bowls mixed, I line them up next to my Griddle/Pan so I can use an assembly line process like this:
6. I do not completely deep fry these pork chops like most Schnitzel recipes call for. With that being said, I do use a lot more olive oil than I usually use for this recipe in order to achieve the crispy and golden outside. I generously coat my griddle with oil that ensures they breadcrumbs will not stick while crisping and you would want to do the same if using a frying pan. You can use Olive Oil or substitute Vegetable oil. If you want to use as little oil as possible while still achieving the crispy result, it’s best to use a non-stick griddle or frying-pan.
7. In a restaurant, Schnitzel is typically served plain with just some parsley and lemon on top. (Unless you order a specific Schnitzel that is made with a sauce like Jägerschnitzel), But I won’t tell if you want to have some ketchup or honey mustard on the side like my kids do.
8. If you have any leftovers, it will make a great lunch the next day or day after. They can be eaten up to 3-4 days stored in the refrigerator.

Pork Schnitzel

(Very) thin Pork Chop is dipped into seasoned flour, egg and breadcrumbs then pan-fried, for a classic German Schnitzel. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a favorite side dish and vegetable.

• Griddle or Large Frying Pan, Meat Tenderizer

• 1½-2 lbs Pork Center Cut or Pork Chop ((boneless))
• ½ cup Flour
• 1 tsp Paprika
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Egg
• 1 Tbsp. Water
• 1 cup Plain Breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp Parsley
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Pepper
• Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil for Pan Frying

1. Pound Pork Very thin about 1/4 inch in thickness

2. Set up work station with three bowls/shallow dishes.

3. In the first bowl mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper. In the second bowl mix egg and water. And in the third bowl mix breadcrumbs, parsley, salt and pepper.

4. Heat up Oil in frying pan or Griddle on medium heat/350°

5. Dip pork into first bowl with flour mixture to coat on both sides. Next dip into second bowl in the egg wash. Lastly, gently pat down into breadcrumb flipping over to coat both sides.

6. Place in Frying Pan or on Griddle. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until breadcrumbs are crispy and golden. Optional-top with fresh parsley.

Main Course