Pork Schnitzel (Breaded and Fried Pork Cutlet) Recipe (2024)

  • Recipes
  • Recipes By Ingredients
  • Pork

Big, thinly pounded pork cutlets provide a more accessible take on classic Viennese schnitzel—the perfect meal to raise a beer to.

By

Michael Harlan Turkell

Pork Schnitzel (Breaded and Fried Pork Cutlet) Recipe (1)

Michael Harlan Turkell

Michael Harlan Turkell is a once-aspiring chef and now an award-winning food pho­tographer and writer. He has photographed many prominent chefs’ cookbooks, co-authored a few, and even wrote one of his own: ACID TRIP: Travels in the Word of Vinegar (2017).

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated September 15, 2023

Trending Videos

Pork Schnitzel (Breaded and Fried Pork Cutlet) Recipe (2)

Why It Works

  • Using pork instead of the traditional veal makes this dish more accessible for most cooks and allows you to choose from a greater range of quality and cuts.
  • Frying one cutlet at a time ensures more even cooking and browning.

For hearty, down-to-earth fare to enjoy between sips of beer, you can't do much better than schnitzel, a breaded and fried cutlet that's traditionally big enough to overhang the sides of a plate. Though classic Viennese schnitzel is made with thinly pounded veal, pork is more accessible for most of us in the US, and just as tasty.

To balance out the richness of the fried pork, we recommend a helping of bright coleslaw with creamy chile vinaigrette and a hop-heavy brew, such as Sierra Nevada Torpedo, Great Divide Titan IPA, or Cigar City Jai Alai, on the side.

How to Pair IPAs and Other Hoppy, Bitter Beers With Food

October 2018

Recipe Details

Pork Schnitzel (Breaded and Fried Pork Cutlet) Recipe

Prep15 mins

Cook25 mins

Active45 mins

Total40 mins

Serves4 servings

Ingredients

  • Four (1-inch-thick) boneless pork loin chops (about 8 ounces/225g each)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour(2 1/2 ounces; 70g)

  • 3 large eggs, beaten

  • 2 cups (120g)panko bread crumbs

  • 3 cups (710ml) canola oil

Directions

  1. Working with one pork chop at a time, trim fat and sinew off the chop, then make a cut lengthwise down the middle of one 1-inch-thick edge, about 3/4 of the way through the chop, without cutting it into 2 separate pieces, making a butterfly slice.

  2. Place pork chop between two 12-inch-square pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound pork to 1/4-inch thickness, using a meat pounder or the bottom of a heavy 8-inch skillet. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Season pork cutlets with salt and pepper.

  3. Fill a wide, shallow bowl or high-rimmed plate with flour, a second bowl or plate with beaten eggs, and a third bowl or plate with panko.

  4. Working with one cutlet at a time, dredge a cutlet in flour with your left hand, shaking off excess. Transfer to egg dish, then turn pork with your right hand to coat both sides. Lift with your right hand and allow excess egg to drain off, then transfer to bread crumbs. With your left hand, scoop bread crumbs on top of pork, then gently press, turning pork to ensure a good layer of crumbs on both sides. Using your left hand, transfer cutlet to a clean parchment-lined baking sheet, then repeat with remaining cutlets. Be careful not to over-bread the cutlets.

  5. Heat oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering and just shy of smoking. Working with one cutlet at a time, gently lower cutlet into hot fat, laying it down away from you to prevent both hot oil from splashing toward you and the cutlet from sticking to the bottom of the skillet. This should also help “waves” develop in the cutlet—the sign of true schnitzel success.

  6. Fry cutlet, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain a steady, vigorous bubble, until bottom side is browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Flip cutlet and fry until second side is browned and crisp, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and season lightly with salt. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Serve immediately with coleslaw and a cold beer.

Special Equipment

12-inch cast iron skillet, rimmed baking sheet, cooling rack

Read More

  • Breaded Fried Pork Chops
  • Tonkatsu or Chicken Katsu (Japanese Breaded Pork or Chicken Cutlets)
  • Pork Schnitzel Meatballs
  • Pork
  • Austrian
  • Frying
  • Pork Mains
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
817Calories
52g Fat
17g Carbs
67g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories817
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 52g66%
Saturated Fat 10g49%
Cholesterol 321mg107%
Sodium 661mg29%
Total Carbohydrate 17g6%
Dietary Fiber 1g3%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 67g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 66mg5%
Iron 3mg18%
Potassium 881mg19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Pork Schnitzel (Breaded and Fried Pork Cutlet) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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.

How do you get the breading to stick on a schnitzel? ›

Just as important as the first patting down of the chicken's surface, the final pat down of your meat after covering it with breading helps every piece of crunchy coating adhere. After coating chicken in an egg and breading layer, gently pat all sides.

How to get breading to stick to pork cutlets? ›

The flour egg mixture really helps the bread crumbs stick!
  1. Dab the pork chops with a paper towel to absorb the extra moisture. (This also helps the egg mixture to stick.)
  2. Dredge in flour and then dip in egg. ...
  3. Brown the pork chops in a skillet to crisp the crumbs, and then bake them until tender.
May 3, 2020

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 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 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).

How to keep schnitzel crispy? ›

I have a new method for you to try! To keep schnitzel, or any fried food (like churros!), crispy, place it on a cooling rack over a baking sheet after frying, instead of on a paper towel.

How to stop schnitzel from going soggy? ›

Dip into the egg wash and drain the excess, then straight into the breadcrumb mixture. Cover completely and press down with fingertips. “Crumb just before you cook them, as the moisture can come through the chicken and make the crumbs soggy. Crumb and fry keeps them crisp,” Tony says.

Does egg help breading stick? ›

The egg wash will help the flour stick to the fish. Coating fish in egg and flour before frying it creates a crispy outer crust around the delicate, flakey protein. This flour shell also helps contain the protein's juices and adds rich flavor.

How do you keep fried cutlets crispy? ›

The best way to keep the chicken crispy is to set a rack on top of a sheet pan and allow the cutlets to drain on that rather than paper towels. You can keep them in a 250 degree F oven for up to an hour before serving to keep them hot and crispy.

Why does my breading come off when I fry pork chops? ›

For the Flour Coating

Take a pork chop and dunk it into the buttermilk. Then dredge the pork chop in the flour mixture and turn to coat. Place the pork on a plate to rest. The pork should rest for 30 minutes before frying so that the coating does not come off during cooking.

How do you keep breading from falling off when frying? ›

Flouring the chicken before dipping it in egg wash helps the sticky coating adhere to the dry pieces of meat, and the gluey egg and flour combo in turn helps the breadcrumbs to stick better.

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.

How hot should oil be to fry schnitzel? ›

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet to 375°F. Place one chicken cutlet in oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side, flipping as needed if bread crumbs begin to darken too much. Transfer schnitzel to paper towel-lined plate.

Is Wiener Schnitzel the same as 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.

Are a cutlet and schnitzel the same? ›

Chicken cutlets are also very popular, but known as chicken schnitzel. Both lamb cutlets and chicken schnitzel are a staple of Australian children's cuisine. Amongst most Australians of Italian descent, the term schnitzel is replaced by the term cutlet. Cutlets amongst this population are usually veal or chicken.

What are the two types of schnitzel? ›

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 a pork cutlet? ›

Pork cutlets are usually lean steaks similar to sirloin chops, but meatier and boneless. Sometimes medallions cut from a pork tenderloin a cutlet. Cutlets are classically pounded thinner, to make them even more tender, dredged in breadcrumbs, and pan-fried.

Are schnitzel and tonkatsu the same? ›

This is how the name came about: ton means pig, and katsu is the abbreviation of katsuretsu. This, in turn, is the Japanese pronunciation of the English word Schnitzel, translated as "Schnitzel." So, Tonkatsu is nothing but a pork Schnitzel. Nevertheless, the Japanese version is unique.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rueben Jacobs

Last Updated:

Views: 6428

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (57 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rueben Jacobs

Birthday: 1999-03-14

Address: 951 Caterina Walk, Schambergerside, CA 67667-0896

Phone: +6881806848632

Job: Internal Education Planner

Hobby: Candle making, Cabaret, Poi, Gambling, Rock climbing, Wood carving, Computer programming

Introduction: My name is Rueben Jacobs, I am a cooperative, beautiful, kind, comfortable, glamorous, open, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.