Crispy Pork Schnitzel

Crispy Pork Schnitzel. What’s better than a crispy juicy delicious piece of meat? My Crispy Pork Schnitzel is definitely all that and more.

If you have followed this blog for a while, you’ll know that I lived in Germany during my teenaged years. Back then, it was known as West Germany. The two Germanys had not yet merged. One of the coolest things about living in Europe was access to so many different kinds of foods within just a short drive.

One of my favorite German dishes was schnitzel. It’s usually a piece of veal or pork meat that’s pounded out really thin. The pounded meat is then dipped into a seasoned flour, then dipped into beaten egg, and then dipped into breadcrumbs. The battered meat is then fried in butter or oil until crispy and cooked through. Schnitzel in Germany is akin to chicken fried steak here in the southern US. Well, sort of….

Schnitzel is traditionally an Austrian dish. Austria and Germany are adjacent countries, both with their own twist on similar dishes. Many times while living in Germany, I would order schnitzel when out at a restaurant. German Wiener Schnitzel was generally made with veal instead of pork. Wiener Schnitzel was usually served with a braised shredded cabbage dish alongside some spaetzle noodles or potato salad.

How to make my Crispy Pork Schnitzel for two? Start out with two boneless pork chops. You’ll need a pounding tool for this recipe in order to pound the pork chops thin. I like to put the pork chops in a Ziploc bag and use my pounding tool so that the tool doesn’t tear the meat. Pound out the pork chops to a 1/4 inch thickness but don’t pound them so thin that they tear apart.

Then get out three shallow bowls. Put some flour in the first bowl and add some salt and pepper. Stir to mix. This is the first coating you will put onto the pounded pork chops.

Break two eggs into the second shallow bowl. Mix with a fork to make an egg wash as the second coating for the pork chops.

Add panko breadcrumbs and some shredded Parmesan cheese to the third bowl. This is the final coating for the pork chops before they go into a skillet to cook.

Season the pounded pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides.

Melt some safflower or olive oil and butter over medium low heat in a skillet that’s big enough to accommodate both pounded pork chops. Now coat the first pork chop.

Dredge the first pork chop in the seasoned flour on both sides.

Dip the flour-coated pork chop in the egg wash on both sides being careful not to remove the flour coating.

Now place the pork chop in the panko parmesan mixture and coat both sides.

Put the coated pork chop into the skillet.

Repeat with the second pork chop coating it in the seasoned flour, egg wash, and panko parmesan mixture. Place the second pork chop in the skillet.

Saute the pork schnitzels until browned on both sides, cooked through and crispy.

You can drain the crispy pork schnitzels on paper towels on a plate before serving if you wish. Offer with mashed potatoes and peas (my favorites!). Garnish with sprigs of Italian parsley.

A nice Chardonnay or other dry white wine goes nicely with this dish.

For a similar crispy meat dish, try my Hubby’s Chicken Parmigiana. It’s a crispy chicken breast topped with melted provolone cheese served over spaghetti and draped with a rich tomato sauce. You’ll love it, too!

Enjoy!!

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From the kitchen of A Food Lover’s Delight….

Crispy Pork Schnitzel

Ingredients:

2 boneless pork chops (half inch to an inch thick each), fat removed, pounded out to a 1/4 inch thickness
2 c flour
salt and pepper
2 eggs
2 c panko bread crumbs
1 T shredded Parmesan cheese
2 T safflower or olive oil
2 T butter
Italian parsley sprigs, to garnish.

Method:

1. Get out a skillet that will hold both of the pounded out pork chops. Heat the skillet on medium heat.
2. Put the flour in a shallow bowl and mix in 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Break the eggs, put them in a second shallow bowl, and whisk them just like you are making scrambled eggs. Add the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese to a third shallow bowl.
3. After you have pounded the pork chops, season them with salt and pepper on both sides. I like to pound them out while they are inside a ziploc bag for less mess. A metal pounder is handy.
4. Add some safflower or olive oil to the skillet. Then add the butter. Be sure the oil and butter mixture coats the skillet.
5. Take one seasoned pork chop and coat it in the seasoned flour. Then immediately dip it into the egg mixture, being sure to coat the pork chop nicely with egg but not removing the flour coating underneath. Then dip the egg-coated pork chop into the parmesan panko mixture and fully coat it. I like to use my hands and fingers to ensure the pork chop is coated. Now I refer to the pork chop as “schnitzel.”
6. Carefully place the coated pork chop (schnitzel) into the skillet.
7. Repeat the dipping process with the other pork chop (schnitzel) and place it into the skillet next to the other pork chop.
8. Cook until the bottom sides are crispy and golden brown.
9. Flip them and continue cooking. Try to flip each chop over only one time as the crispy breading might come off. Once the schnitzels are golden brown and crispy on both sides, remove them to a paper-towel covered plate to drain slightly.
10. Plate alongside your favorite side dishes. Garnish with a sprig of Italian parsley. Serve hot.

Serves 2. Offer with my Easy Mashed Potatoes and some green peas. A dry white wine goes nicely with this dish.

Variations: Try a skinless boneless chicken breast or the traditional thinly sliced veal cutlet. Use regular breadcrumbs although I think the panko style makes a crispier crust.

Order your own Vollrath stainless steel skillet (just like mine) from Amazon:

Order a stainless steel meat pounder from Amazon:

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