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

What cut of meat is used for pork schnitzel? ›

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 schnitzel in German? ›

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 is schnitzel called in America? ›

United States

Chicken fried steak, also called country fried steak, is nearly identical to schnitzel. It is a breaded and deep fried beef steak.

What's the difference between Wiener Schnitzel and 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.

What spice makes meat tender? ›

Garlic: Garlic contains a natural compound called allicin, which can help to break down meat fibers. Rosemary: Rosemary contains a natural acid called rosmarinic acid, which can help to break down meat fibers. Thyme: Thyme contains natural acids that can help to break down meat fibers and make the meat more tender.

Why is my pork schnitzel tough? ›

Schnitzel doneness temp

The USDA currently gives 145°F (63°C) as the doneness temperature for pork‚ a far cry better than their old recommendation of 165°F (74°C)! Hitting that temperature can be tough in such a thin cut of meat, especially if we want a golden brown coating.

Why do Jews eat schnitzel? ›

By the beginning of the 20th Century, central European immigrants had brought schnitzel to Israel. This dish was ideally suited to the culinary necessities of the period in Israel. At a time when few people owned ovens in their homes, these thin cutlets could be easily prepared over an open flame.

How do Germans eat schnitzel? ›

Also, schnitzel in Germany is much more likely to be served with some topping or sauce. This is a traditional German schnitzel dish in Germany. One of our favorites this one has a Jaeger or Hunter sauce on it.

What is real German schnitzel made of? ›

I had to look it up, and discovered traditional wiener schnitzel is Austrian and made from veal, where German style schnitzel is made from pork. In fact schnitzel actually describes the cooking technique rather than the meat it's made from.

Why is schnitzel so expensive? ›

The costs for the investment of separate transport, slaughtering, butchering and distribution to the shops are relatively high.

What is the most iconic German food? ›

Of all these regional and national dishes, Germany is most famous for Currywurst, sausages, pretzels and Black Forest Gateau, but as you can see, there is plenty more to German cuisine than just these.

What is the most common German meal? ›

Sauerbraten is regarded as one Germany's national dishes and there are several regional variations in Franconia, Thuringia, Rhineland, Saarland, Silesia and Swabia. This pot roast takes quite a while to prepare, but the results, often served as Sunday family dinner, are truly worth the work.

What is pork schnitzel made from? ›

Any thin-pounded cutlet of meat can be described as a schnitzel, and there are delicious versions that are braised. The version here is in the style of the Viennese one, but is made from boneless pork chops, not veal cutlets. (Pork chops are much easier to find at the grocery store!)

Is pork tenderloin the same as schnitzel? ›

The primary differences between a pork tenderloin sandwich and a Wiener Schnitzel are that the pork tenderloin sandwich is made exclusively using pork loin and it is deep fried instead of pan fried. The pork tenderloin sandwich is also usually served on a bun.

What meat is the original schnitzel? ›

What is a Wiener Schnitzel? Traditionally, a Wiener Schnitzel is a cutlet of veal pounded thin by a meat tenderizer, then dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs (in that order), and fried until golden.

Is flank steak the same as schnitzel? ›

Schnitzel. One of the most versatile cuts around, schnitzel is a thin slice of meat achieved by pounding it with a meat tenderiser. This boneless cut is sliced thinly and typically comes from the thick flank. Its versatility makes schnitzel a great for cooking quickly as a stir-fry or crumbed and pan-fried.

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