🇩🇪 Wiener Schnitzel

Wiener schnitzel is a thin cutlet, breaded and pan-fried until golden and crisp. The coating should puff up slightly when it hits the pan. It is served with lemon wedges and parsley potatoes. The technique is simple but the result is impressive.

Ingredients

• 4 Veal or Pork Cutlets
• 1 cup Flour
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 2 cups Breadcrumbs
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 cup Oil or Butter
• Lemon Wedges
• Parsley for garnish

Method

1. Pound cutlets thin. Season.
2. Dip in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Press gently.
3. Heat oil in a wide pan.
4. Fry cutlets 2–3 min per side until golden.
5. Drain on paper towels.
6. Serve with lemon wedges and parsley potatoes.

History

Wiener schnitzel — literally "Viennese cutlet" — has been a staple of Austrian cuisine since at least the 19th century. The dish is traditionally made with veal, and the name is protected by Austrian law: only a cutlet made from veal can legally be called Wiener schnitzel. A version made with pork is called Wiener Schnitzel vom Schwein, or sometimes simply Schnitzel Wiener Art. The dish’s origins are disputed — some food historians trace it to a Milanese dish called costoletta alla milanese, which was brought to Vienna by Austrian officers who had served in Italy; others argue it evolved independently in Vienna. What is certain is that it has been a fixture of Viennese cuisine for over two hundred years, and that the technique of pounding the meat thin and coating it in breadcrumbs is the same across all versions.

The science

The characteristic puffing of a good schnitzel comes from the way the breadcrumbs are applied. The meat is dusted with flour, dipped in beaten egg, and then pressed into breadcrumbs — but the breadcrumbs should not be pressed too firmly, because the air trapped between the crumbs is what puffs up when the cutlet hits the hot fat. The fat must also be at the right temperature (around 170°C) — hot enough to seal the coating immediately, but not so hot that it burns. Traditional Wiener schnitzel is fried in clarified butter or lard, which gives it a richer flavour than oil, and the cutlet should be shallow-fried, not deep-fried — the coating should be crisp but not saturated with fat.

Substitutions

Veal is traditional but expensive and not always available; pork is the most common substitute and works equally well. Chicken breast, pounded thin, is another option. For a vegetarian version, use thick slices of aubergine, cauliflower steak, or even a portobello mushroom cap, breaded and fried the same way. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs — the technique is identical. Clarified butter is traditional but regular butter or a neutral oil also works. The classic accompaniments — lemon wedges and parsley potatoes — should not be skipped.

Chef's tip

Do not press the breadcrumbs too hard — the coating should puff up when fried.

Drink pairing

A cold German lager or Grüner Veltliner. The crisp, refreshing character of a lager cuts through the richness of the fried cutlet, while a Grüner Veltliner has enough acidity and white pepper notes to complement the breadcrumb coating.