Authentic German Schnitzel - à la Mena

Learn how to make a perfect crispy pork Schnitzel or original Wiener Schnitzel the way my German grandmother taught me.

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Wiener Schnitzel vs. Schnitzel Viennese Style

Schnitzel or Escalope is a thinly pounded slice of meat, which is usually breaded and fried in fat. It is a popular dish in many countries, such as Germany, Austria, Poland, Italy or France. The original Wiener Schnitzel or Schnitzel Viennese is known around the world. As its name indicates, it was invented in and named after the city Vienna in Austria. In Germany and Austria, the name Wiener Schnitzel is protected and can only be made with veal. Schnitzel made of any other meat is Schnitzel Viennese Style.

In Germany and Poland, the pork Schnitzel variant, so a Schnitzel Viennese Style is more popular. Provided you like pork, it is a much cheaper alternative and is very tasty. Since I grew up in Germany, the pork Schnitzel is what I am most familiar with. However, every so often I opt for the veal instead. This recipe is based on my grandmother's and it was my grandfather's absolute favorite dish. He would have probably eaten it 7 days a week if possible. I remember there were weeks where my grandmother, who I call Mena, made it up to 3 times a week!!! And YES, it is that good! 😁

Ingredients

These are the main ingredients you will need to make your Schnitzel. Detailed measurements can be found on the bottom of the page in the recipe card 👇.

Bread Crumbs - Nothing special, I buy pre-ground bread crumbs at the local bakery or in the bakery section of the grocery store. I do not buy industrially pre-made breadcrumbs or seasoned breadcrumbs.

Milk - Just regular milk or if you try to avoid/reduce dairy like we do, use unsweetened almond milk.

Flour - Any flour you have available. My go-to is whole-wheat spelt flour, just because that is the standard flour I use.

Eggs - Same here, just standard eggs 🥚I usually buy organic eggs.

Salt, Pepper & Nutmeg - These are the seasonings you'll need for your Schnitzel.

Lemon - 🍋🍋🍋 There is ONE important rule! No schnitzel without fresh lemon juice topping!!! At least not for me. Of course, this is a personal preference, but trust me. You want to drizzle fresh lemon juice over your hot and crispy Schnitzel. Mmmmhhhh - so good!😋

Frying Oil

Now this one is important. If you want to avoid uneven browning of your Schnitzel with darker and lighter patches, you have to use the right amount of oil as well as the right oil.

A traditional Wiener schnitzel should be fried in clarified butter (or Ghee). Clarified butter is butter that is skimmed of solid particles and water, leaving only pure butterfat. Why? Well, if you have ever used butter for frying, I am sure you noticed the burnt particles in the fat once the butter reaches a certain temperature. Those are the solid milk parts burning. It will stick to the breading of your Schnitzel and give it black sprinkles.

Pure butterfat is an oil that can be used for frying at high temperatures without burning, which is what we want. Now, using 100% butterfat is not only not very healthy but also expensive. (Tastes great though!!!) That is why I usually use canola oil or sunflower oil and for the taste, I simply add a spoon or two of butter or clarified butter.

How to make Schnitzel

How to Flatten the Meat

You will need a tool to flatten the meat. I use a stainless steel meat tenderizer but you can also use the bottom of a pan as an alternative. The meat should be flattened very thinly, to the point where it is almost translucent.

Remove the fat on the outside of the veal or pork chops. Most of the time, the meat is cut about 1 inch thick (2.5 cm), which is a bit too thick for our purpose. That is why I cut it in half horizontally against the grain, into ~½ inch thick (1.25 cm) slices.

Next, place one piece of meat at a time on a board and flatten the meat as shown in the video below using the meat tenderizer or the bottom of a pan. The meat should be roughly 2-3 mm thick. In case you wonder why my hands look so masculine, Tom is responsible for the meat tenderizing 😉

How to Bread Schnitzel

This section provides instructions for a perfectly breaded Schnitzel. I start with setting up my Schnitzel breading line, consisting of 3 containers.

1. The Egg Mix - Whisk eggs, nutmeg and milk together.
2. Set up of the Schnitzel Breading Line - You need 3 containers, each of them roughly as large as one Schnitzel, you can use deep plates for example. Add flour to the first container, the egg mix to the second and the bread crumbs to the third.
3. Seasoning of the Meat - Season each Schnitzel on one side with some salt and pepper.

4. Flour the Meat - Coat the Schnitzel in flour on both sides. The flour coat ensures that the breading sticks well to the meat.
5. Cover the Schnitzel with egg mix by dipping it into the bowl with the egg. Make sure, no dry spots are left.
6. Cover in Bread Crumbs - Next, bread the Schnitzel. Place the floured and egged Schnitzel in the bread crumb bowl on one side first and then flip it around. Repeat the process for both sides. On the second round, push the Schnitzel gently into the crumbs.

This is what the breaded Schnitzel should look like. Make sure that the meat is evenly covered with crumbs with no visible "wet" spots. This will ensure a crispy and even crust all around.

How to Fry a crispy Schnitzel

I usually use a wok pan, which allows me to use less oil overall since it has a smaller diameter at the bottom. In addition, the higher rim provides protection from splashing oil. The Schnitzel has to float in oil for an evenly colored crust. If the meat touches the bottom of the pan, your Schnitzel will have patches of the dark crust where it touched the pan due to higher temperatures and light spots where the meat was floating. As a result, the Schnitzel will not be evenly crispy.

1. Heat the Oil - Place your pan on the stove and fill it with oil, about 1 inch high (2.5 cm). Add some butter or better clarified butter (Ghee) for the flavour. Set the temperature to medium high and let the oil heat up.
2. Give the Schnitzel into the pan. Make sure to let it slide slowly into the hot oil. You should hear a sizzling sound as you give the meat into the pan and the oil should start to bubble. When the outside corners start to turn golden, flip the Schnitzel around.
3. Fry until crispy and gold-brown. The crust of the Schnitzel should have some bubbles.
4. Remove the Schnitzel from the pan and place it on kitchen paper towel to remove excess fat. Repeat the process with the remaining Schnitzel. If you make more than four, you may have to replace the frying fat for even browning and to avoid burnt bread crumbs on the crust.

What to serve with a Schnitzel

Potato Salad - Any type of potato salad will go well with a Schnitzel. Check out this recipe for my German Potato Salad with bacon and sweet tangy dressing. The original Wiener Schnitzel made from veal will often be served with a potato salad in a mustard and vinegar based dressing, topped with corn salad ("Vogerlsalat") and a few droplets of pumpkin seed oil. Absolutely delicious!!!😋

Mashed Potatoes - The all-time classic

French Fries and a side salad is popular as well.

German Fried Potatoes - In case you never had it, those are slices of boiled potatoes, fried with onions and (optional) some bacon. A great way to make use of leftover boiled potatoes!

Schnitzel in a Bun - Great for road trips or a quick lunch sandwich is a Schnitzel in a bun with coleslaw and/or mustard. This is actually a popular German street food.

MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE! My grandmother's Cucumber Salad and salted potatoes - This is the combination I grew up with and my grandfather's favorite! A crispy Schnitzel with sweet and sour cucumber salad and simple salted boiled potatoes. For me, it is and will always be the best way to pair a Schnitzel. 🥰

Variations

I personally prefer the classic version of pork or Wiener Schnitzel as described in the post above. But there are multiple different Schnitzel variations and I am going to list here the two most popular ones.

The Hunter's Schnitzel (Jägerschnitzel) is a classic schnitzel topped with creamy mushroom gravy with onions. After the classic Schnitzel, this is my second favorite, especially during the mushroom season in the Fall. Yum!!

The Balkan Style Schnitzel is a classic schnitzel topped with a tomato based sauce with bell peppers and onions, which can be more or less spicy.

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