Jägerschnitzel (German Hunter's Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy)

About This Recipe

Jägerschnitzel, 'hunter's schnitzel,' takes the classic breaded and fried pork cutlet and tops it with a rustic mushroom gravy, its name referencing the foraged mushrooms a hunter might have gathered. The cutlets are pounded thin, breaded in the traditional flour-egg-breadcrumb sequence, and fried until deeply golden, while a separate pan builds a rich gravy from sauteed mushrooms, stock and a touch of cream. Ladled generously over the crisp schnitzel just before serving, the gravy softens the coating slightly at the edges while leaving much of it crisp, a beloved combination found on menus throughout Germany.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4pork cutlets(pounded thin)
• 1/2 cupall-purpose flour
• 2eggs(beaten)
• 1 cupbreadcrumbs
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 1/2 cupvegetable oil(for frying)
• 3 tbspbutter(for gravy)
• 300 gmushrooms(sliced)
• 1onion(diced, for gravy)
• 2 tbspflour(for gravy)
• 1.5 cupsbeef stock
• 1/2 cupheavy cream
• 1 tspdijon mustard

Instructions

1. 1

   Bread the cutlets

   Season the cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, dip in beaten egg, and coat thoroughly in breadcrumbs.

2. 2

   Fry

   Heat oil in a skillet and fry the cutlets 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through; drain on a rack and keep warm.

3. 3

   Make the gravy base

   Melt butter in a separate pan and cook mushrooms and onion until browned and softened, about 8 minutes.

4. 4

   Add flour

   Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms and cook 2 minutes, stirring.

5. 5

   Add liquid

   Gradually whisk in beef stock, cooking until thickened, about 5 minutes.

   Whisk the stock in gradually to avoid lumps, and keep stirring constantly as the gravy thickens.

6. 6

   Finish

   Stir in cream and mustard, simmering 2-3 more minutes.

7. 7

   Serve

   Plate the schnitzel and ladle the mushroom gravy generously over the top.

Variations

• •

  Chicken or veal can substitute for pork, following the same breading and frying technique.

• •

  A version with a splash of white wine added to the gravy gives extra depth.

• •

  Serving with spaetzle instead of potatoes is a classic pairing.

Storage

Store schnitzel and gravy separately; refrigerate up to 3 days and reheat the schnitzel in an oven to help restore crispness, warming the gravy separately.

Frequently Asked Questions