The well-known tale of the Wiener Schnitzel is said to originate with Field Marshal Radetzky from Vienna. Legend has it that after being captivated by the Italian dish Cotoletta alla Milanese, he returned to Vienna in the mid-19th century with the recipe in tow.
Field Marshal Radetzky is said to have introduced this fried Schnitzel to the Kaiser’s court kitchen, aiming to satisfy his cravings and give rise to the now-famous dish. Nevertheless, historical studies indicate that the people of Vienna had a fondness for fried foods long before this event.
If your pantry was well-stocked, then you could easily bread and fry a variety of staples like chicken and veal, or even everything else from head to toe. So sorry to disappoint you, dear Italians, but historical evidence shows that veal was indeed first fried in Vienna long before it made its way to Italy.
Wiener Schnitzel” is always veal, versus a “Schnitzel Wiener Art” is pork
Types of meat for a good Schnitzel: You can purchase tenderloin boneless pork or choose boneless pork chops. I usually cut them about 90% through, then carefully fold them out (butterfly) to create thin slices. After laying them flat, I pound the pork gently and season them generously to enhance their flavor before cooking.
A good Schnitzel must be constantly in motion: As soon as it is placed in a pan with hot vegetable oil and a butter-lard mixture (50:50), the pan must be continuously pivoted, so that the Schnitzel is always washed over by the hot grease. It is recommended to use a larger pan with a steep rim and a longer handle.
A crucial tip, especially for beginners! The Schnitzel should be flipped after just 45 seconds to prevent the meat from becoming too tough. The breaded meat slices, which should be about 5 mm thick, need to almost float in hot oil; otherwise, achieving that light and fluffy texture will be quite challenging.
Beat the veal or pork steaks till thin and season with salt, pepper, paprika 
Turn the Schnitzel in this order: Flour, Egg and Bread crumps. Drip lemon juice on top Fry the Schnitzel in hot vegetable oil 
Jägerschnitzel, thin pork cutlets with mushroom sauce 
Schnitzel with Spargel 
Guten Appetit
The secret to a good Schnitzel: The Schnitzel has to have a fluffy-airy breading – the real Viennese Panier. It should not stick firmly to the meat, but – quite the contrary! – It needs to have many small and larger air cushions.
To make a Cordon Blue you would cut a pocket in a medium thick boneless pork chop. Then fill with cooked ham and Swiss cheese. Fry 5 to 6 minutes until gold-brown
Schnitzels come in many varieties. Also try a Schnitzel with White Asparagus. Jägerschnitzel with mushrooms and sauce and Paprika Schnitzel (with peppers), just to name a few
Accompany your meal with home fries, German potato salad, French fries, and a crisp leafy green salad. If you’re preparing Jägerschnitzel topped with mushroom gravy, consider adding Spätzle as a side dish.
Wiener Schnitzel
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork cutlets (or veal) pounded thin
- Salt, black pepper and paprika
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour combined with 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
- Oil for frying (use a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point
Instructions
- Use Pork loin (butterflied) cuts that are very thin, or for the original Austrian Wiener Schnitzel use veal cutlets.
- Place the pork cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them until just 1/4 inch thick with the flat side of a meat tenderizer.
- Lightly season both sides with salt, black pepper, paprika and juice of a half lemon
- Place the flour mixture, egg, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate plates.
- Dip the chops first in the flour, then egg, and third the breadcrumbs, coating both sides and all edges at each stage. Gently shake off the excess crumbs.
- Don’t let the schnitzel sit in the coating or they will not be as crispy once fried – fry immediately.
- Make sure the cooking oil is hot enough at this point (about 330 degrees F)
- Use enough oil so that the Schnitzels “swim” in it.
- Fry the Schnitzel for about 2-3 minutes on both sides until a deep golden brown.
- Transfer briefly to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Serve immediately with slices of fresh lemon and parsley sprigs or with your choice of sauce.
Notes
Serve immediately with slices of fresh lemon and parsley sprigs or with your choice of sauce. Serve with Home fries, German potato salad, French fries, and a fresh leafy green salad. Make Jägerschnitzel and place mushroom with gravy on top, add Spätzle as side
