Wiener Schnitzel vom Schwein
Until recently, in Germany and Austria, one was not allowed to call a dish Wiener Schnitzel unless it was made with veal. If the dish was made with pork instead, it needed to be called Wiener Schnitzel vom Schwein.
In 2009, they lighted up and a “Wiener Schnitzel” no longer refers exclusively to a veal dish, but instead to a breaded steak in general.
Since I didn’t want to offend or cause confusion, I just called it Pork Schnitzel on the menu skillet at my German-Swiss Dinner Party.
The recipe is an adaptation of a Tyler Florence recipe. From it, I learned a new technique for breading meat. Tyler suggests letting the breaded meat rest in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 10 minutes to allow the coating to dry out and adhere. It worked great! I’ll be doing that on all my breaded recipes from here on out.
Since I was cooking for 20, it was especially important to make this ahead. I cooked all the schnitzel, refrigerated and then reheated it and finished cooking it in the oven. If you are serving immediately, reduce the oven time to about 12 to 15 minutes.
Pork Schnitzel
4 boneless pork loin chops
1 ½ cups flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 cups Panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Lemon wedges
Begin by placing each chop between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and gently pounding them out with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until they are an even 1/4-inch thick.
Place the flour on a dinner plate and generously season with salt and pepper. Add the smoked paprika and cayenne pepper and whisk to combine.
Whisk the eggs and milk in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Put the Panko on another dinner plate.
Lightly dredge each piece of pork in flour, then in the egg, and finally into the Panko, pressing the bread crumbs onto the pork gently so they are evenly coated.
Lay the breaded pork in a single layer on a baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, for 10 minutes to allow the coating to dry out a little and adhere to the pork.
Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, gently lay the breaded pork into the skillet and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Cook in batches, do not overcrowd the skillet!
Remove to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt. Schnitzel may be made ahead and refrigerated (uncovered) for up to 90 minutes. Remove from refrigerator for 20 minutes before placing in a 250-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes to reheat and cook through. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with lemon wedges and serve.
Serves 4 to 8
1 comment
Thank you for re-visiting your lovely dinner all week! I love the tip about the meat breading resting in the fridge! Am going to try that the next time I do any of those type of meals. You are always the wizard of cooking! xoxo
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