Pork Schnitzel

German/ Austrian food reminds me of the fall.  Maybe because Oktoberfest is held from mid September to early October and maybe because the food is heartier, warm, comforting.  Wiener Schnitzel made from either veal, pork or chicken, warm German potato salad, German sausages such as kielbasa, bratwurst, and sauerkraut and spaetzel. 

I have fond memories of German food from my past in Ohio.  While I am 100% Sicilian, my children are 50% German.  I have not made much, if any really, German food, but I thought I would bring a dish of German food into my son’s dining.  As I write this up now I really should have made some other dishes to round out this German dinner..and most likely now I will as I do believe this recipe for Schnitzel came out pretty darn good!

To get this recipe, I went straight to the source and contacted a real Austrian / German woman!  A quick email request to Gina and Adam’ s Aunt Ingrid in Ohio responded with the recipe.  Well, not a specific recipe, but a recipe in general, true to how every nationality simply recites their recipe with some of this and some of that.

Quality ingredients are always key and even more so in a simple dish such as this.  Therefore, I decided to use a pork tenderloin to ensure my cutlets would be tender.  The coating should be puffy and separate from the meat when cut, unlike the Italian breaded cutlet’s coating that clings to the meat.  I realized that when Ingrid states to deep fry the schnitzel, this process will provide a golden light and non-greasy crust.

The following is her “recipe”, word for word…

I don’t really have a recipe for schnitzel.  I pound the meat, veal, pork loin, chicken breast or turkey breast.  Then salt and pepper to taste.  Put in flour, egg and milk beaten together and then I like corn flake crumbs mixed with seasoned bread crumbs.  Deep fry, then put on paper towels and I put on a cookie rack inside a pan and stand the schnitzel on its side to drain off oil in the oven on low for about 20 minutes.

As I mentioned, I used a pork tenderloin, which normally comes in a package of two narrow tenderloins.  I cut four diagonal slices from each tenderloin and pounded them into thin cutlets.  To the flour I added salt and pepper, then dipped them into two beaten eggs, which I also added some salt and pepper and finally into seasoned bread crumbs to which I had added some paprika, dried oregano and lightly salt and pepper.  (I did not have any corn flakes to add to the bread crumbs)

I heated a large skillet with about 1/2 inch of olive oil.  When the oil was very hot I placed in just a few to not crowd the pan.  The oil quickly cooked the thin cutlets and was deep enough to allow them to move freely when I shook the pan.  I had the oven preheated to 250 and placed the cooked schnitzels on a cookie rack inside a baking sheet.  I placed the pan in the oven while I finished cooking the remaining schnitzels.

  Serve immediately with lemon slices or wedges.