September 9th is Wienerschnitzel Day (well, mainly in Germany and Austria, where Wienerschnitzel is almost the national dish). You can make your own Wienerschnitzel out of veal or pork.
Usually served with mashed potatoes, Weinerschnitzel gets its name from Wien, the German name for Vienna.
Essentially a breaded cutlet deep-fried in oil, true Wienerschnitzel is traditionally made from veal, but you can also make a schnitzel from pork, and outside Europe they are sometimes made with chicken or beef.
Wiener Schnitzel was first mentioned in 1831 in a cookbook where it was called eingebröselte Kalbsschnitzchen. In the United States, it’s known as “pork tenderloin” and is typically served on a bun as a sandwich. In Latin America, the dish is known as “Milanesa”, and in Czech Republic, it is called “Řízek”. In Finland, Wiener Schnitzel is called “Wieninleike” and is always made of pork. You can garnish it with anything from a simple lemon wedge to butter, parsley, potato, anchovy slices, capers or horseradish.
It’s easy to make your own Wienerschnitzel and you can choose your own garnishes. The essential technique in making Wienerschnitzel is tenderising the meat by pounding it thinner.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 (5-ounce) veal cutlets (or chicken or pork cutlets)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose (or brown rice flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, well beaten
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- Oil or lard, for frying
- 4 slices lemon, garnish
METHOD - Place the cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap for easier cleanup, and use a meat mallet or if you don’t have one a heavy, flat-surfaced pan to pound them to 1/4-inch thickness
- To bread the schnitzels, set up 3 shallow dishes: mix the flour and salt in the first dish, the beaten eggs in the second dish, and the breadcrumbs in the third dish.
- In a large skillet, heat at least 1/4-inch of oil to 350 F. This takes about 8 minutes.
- Working one at a time, dredge the cutlets in flour until their surface is completely dry.
- Dip in egg to coat, allow the excess to drip off for a few seconds.
- Roll cutlets quickly in the breadcrumbs until coated. Do not press the breadcrumbs into the meat, as this will moisten them and not make for a crispy coating. The crust should not adhere completely but form a loose shell around the schnitzel.
- Immediately place meat in the pan with the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Cook the schnitzel in batches if necessary. Make sure to allow enough time between batches to allow the oil to come back up to 350 F.
- Fry the schnitzel for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, until golden brown. Make sure the breaded meat “swims” in fat. The breading will take on less oil than if the meat is sticking to the pan, and the breadcrumb topping has a chance to puff up a little. Move the schnitzel around a little with a spatula to make sure they do not stick to the pan.
- Turn them over once and fry an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until both sides are golden brown and the meat registers an internal temperature of 145 F. Remove from pan and allow the oil to drain off.
Serve Wienerschnitzel in the traditional manner with lemon slices, as well as potato salad, cucumber salad, or fries.
See also: Try Fifteens for a Tasty Treat for Kids
