Wiener Schnitzel

About This Recipe

Wiener Schnitzel is Austria's most famous dish and one of the great pan-fried preparations in European cooking: a thin veal escalope pounded until almost translucent, breaded in flour, egg and fine breadcrumbs and fried in a generous amount of clarified butter or lard until the coating soufflés away from the meat in characteristic golden waves. The 'protected' Viennese version must be made with veal — using pork makes Schnitzel Wiener Art (Vienna-style schnitzel), which is delicious but not the same. The coating must not adhere tightly to the meat — the loose, airy soufflé of the breading is what distinguishes a great Wiener Schnitzel from a mere breaded cutlet. Served with a lemon wedge, parsley potato and lingonberry jam, it is Vienna's culinary pride.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4veal escalopes(about 150g each)
• 80 gplain flour
• 3eggs(beaten)
• 200 gfine white breadcrumbs
• 200 gclarified butter (ghee) or lard
• 1 teaspoonsalt
• 2lemons(cut into wedges)
• 4 tablespoonslingonberry jam(to serve)
• 800 gpotatoes(for parsley butter potatoes)
• 50 gbutter
• 1 small bunchflat parsley(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Pound the veal

   Place each escalope between two sheets of cling film. Pound with a meat mallet until about 3mm thin and even. Season lightly with salt.

   Even thickness is critical — any thick spots will cause uneven cooking. Work from the centre outward.

2. 2

   Bread the schnitzel

   Set up three shallow bowls: flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Coat each schnitzel in flour (shake off excess), then egg, then breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs on loosely — do not press hard. Do not let them sit after breading.

   The loose breadcrumb coating is essential for the soufflé effect. If you press the crumbs tightly, the coating will stick flat to the meat.

3. 3

   Fry

   Heat clarified butter to 160–170°C in a wide pan — there should be enough to come halfway up the schnitzel. Fry one at a time for 2–3 minutes per side, moving the pan gently so the butter washes over the schnitzel. The coating should soufflé and turn golden.

4. 4

   Drain and serve

   Drain briefly on paper towels. Serve immediately with lemon wedge, parsley potatoes and lingonberry jam.

Variations

• •

  Schnitzel Wiener Art: the same dish made with pork instead of veal — technically not Wiener Schnitzel but equally delicious.

• •

  Jägerschnitzel: served with a mushroom cream sauce.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftover schnitzel can be reheated in a hot oven (200°C) for 8 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions