Super Easy Pork Schnitzel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What oil should I cook schnitzel in? ›

I would also recommend using grapeseed oil for searing because it has a high smoke point and we want to make sure the breading doesn't burn. Once you flip the schnitzel, you can add a tablespoon of butter to finish and give it that extra flavor!

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.

Heat 1 cm of oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. When the oil is hot, add the schnitzels a couple at a time and cook until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm in the oven until serving.

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.

Muscle fibers contract and push out moisture as meat cooks. It first starts to happen when the internal temperature reaches 104℉ (40℃) and greatly increases once you hit 140℉ (60℃). This is why ribeyes, chicken breasts, and pork chops turn dry and chewy when you cook them for too long.

The schnitzel tradition was brought from Europe to Israel by Ashkenazi Jews. During the early years of the state of Israel, veal was not obtainable, and chicken or turkey proved to be inexpensive and tasty substitutes. Packaged schnitzels are widely available in the frozen food section of most supermarkets.

One way to determine your porks' doneness is by the color of the juices that come out of it when you poke a hole in it with a knife or fork. If the juices run clear or are very faintly pink, the pork is done cooking. If they're mostly or entirely pink or red, it's best to continue cooking.

Typical German and Austrian side dishes for schnitzels include spaetzle, potato salad (particularly vinegar-based ones), cucumber salad, vegetable slaws and potato dishes like fries or rosti.

If the oil is not hot enough, the chicken will absorb too much oil and give you soggy, oily schnitzel. I use quality extra virgin olive oil, which has a high enough smoke point to fry the schnitzel. You can use another healthy frying oil of your choice.

A lukewarm pan will draw moisture into the pan and the moisture will cause the food to stick. There are certain foods that are more delicate and likely to stick, such as a lightly breaded schnitzel, while crepes, an omelet or a duck breast can benefit from a non-stick pan.

How do you keep a schnitzel crispy after cooking? ›

Just place them on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.

In much the same way, putting fried food on a cooling rack means the excess oil will drip off, but there's enough air circulating underneath the food that the bottoms don't get soggy.

It is imperative that schnitzel be breaded very gently — no pressing! — and that it happen the moment before it hits the oil. Store-bought lard is a good option for frying, but vegetable oils like peanut, canola or rice bran will also work.

Vegetable Oil: Best All-Purpose Oil for Frying

It's great for all different methods of frying and all kinds of foods like breaded chicken and fries. Typically a blend of oils, it has a high smoke point of 400 to 450 degrees, and it has a pretty neutral flavor, which deepens the flavor of the food.

Think vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. Don't use olive oil or butter—they both have lower smoke points. The ideal temperature for frying chicken is 350˚ to 365˚, and you'll want to make sure that you bring the oil back to temperature between batches.

The most obvious is that it requires a lot less oil: I fill a 12-inch cast iron skillet with about 2 cups of canola or peanut oil, both of which have a neutral flavor and can withstand high heat.