German Schnitzel (Schweineschnitzel)
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This traditional German Schnitzel recipe, known as Schweineschnitzel, is just the way you know and love it from your favorite German restaurants! Made the way I learned it from my Mutti and Oma, this tutorial includes all the tips and tricks are included for making the absolute PERFECT Schnitzel!
Being from Germany and as much as I love to cook, it would be unforgivably inexcusable, a total outrage, if I didn’t know how to make Schnitzel! After all, it’s one of the most quintessential German dishes. Practically every tourist to Germany has had Schnitzel and most fall in love with it.
Schnitzel vs. Wienerschnitzel: What’s the Difference?
Many people associate Schnitzel with Wienerschnitzel. However, “Wienerschnitzel” is actually a geographically protected term in Germany and Austria and can only be made with veal. German Schnitzel is prepared the same way as Austrian Wienerschnitzel, but the difference is that German Schnitzel, known as Schweineschnitzel, is made with pork instead of veal. As for where the Schnitzel originally came from…the technique of breading and frying thin cuts of meat is attributed to the Romans from around 1 BC. Another factual tidbit: Austrians will be the first to admit that Wienerschnitzel doesn’t come from Wien (Vienna).
But whether it’s Schweineschnitzel or Wienerschnitzel, when it’s perfectly breaded, perfectly fried, and perfectly crispy, practically everyone loves a good Schnitzel! And now you can make it – perfectly – in your own kitchen!
Variations
The most popular variations of Schnitzel are Jägerschnitzel (“hunter schnitzel”) which is served with mushroom gravy, Zigeunerschnitzel (“gypsy schnitzel”), served with a zesty bell pepper sauce, and Rahmschnitzel (“cream schnitzel”) served with a delicious creamy Rahm Sauce. All three are commonly found in German restaurants and are all positively delicious. If you love Schnitzel you have to try them all!
Schnitzel Recipe
Let’s get started!
Throughout the pictured recipe steps below, I’m going to share some tips and tricks with you that are important for achieving perfect results – just like the kind you get at a German restaurant.
Pro Tip 1: Pound the meat very thin, no more than 1/4 inch thick. The reason this is important is because you’ll need to fry it at high heat for a short period of time to get that perfect crispy crust without leaving the middle of the meat raw.
The easiest way to pound the pork is to lay it between two pieces of plastic wrap. Be sure to pound them using the flat side of a meat mallet. Lightly sprinkle each side with salt and pepper. Dip the pork into the flour, coating all sides.
Next dip the pork into the egg mixture, coating all sides.
Then coat the pork with the breadcrumbs.
Pro Tip 2: Don’t press the breadcrumbs into the meat. Just softly coat the pork on both sides and all edges, and then gently shake off any excess.
Pro Tip 3: Fry the Schnitzel immediately. Don’t let them sit in coating or the end result won’t be as crispy. You don’t need a ton of oil, but you need enough so that the Schnitzel can “swim”.
Pro Tip 4: Make sure the oil is hot enough – but not too hot. It should be around 330ºF – test it with a candy thermometer. If it’s too hot, the crust will burn before the meat is done. If it isn’t hot enough, you’ll end up with a soggy coating. When the oil is hot enough it will actually penetrate the coating less and you’ll end up with a crispy “dry” coating instead of an overly oily one. The result will be a beautifully crispy coating with a tender and juicy interior, and that’s exactly what we want.
Remove the Schnitzel from the fry pan and place them briefly on a plate lined with paper towels. Transfer them to serving plates and garnish with slices of lemon and fresh parsley sprigs.
Serve immediately with French fries, Spätzle, or German potato salad and a fresh leafy green salad. See blog post below for more serving recommendations.
What to Serve with Schnitzel
In Germany, Schnitzel is commonly served with any of the following:
- Pommes (French fries); see my Oven Baked French Fries or Baked Potato Wedges.
- Spaetzle and gravy
- German Potato Salad
- Creamy German Cucumber Salad
- Krautsalat
- A leafy green salad
Additional serving options include mashed or roasted potatoes, Sauerkraut, Rotkohl, and roasted or steamed veggies. And if you want to pair it with some non-German sides you can serve it with classics like Creamy Coleslaw, Macaroni Salad, Classic Potato Salad, Baked Potato Wedges, Baked Beans, or Broccoli Salad.
Enjoy!
For more authentic German recipes be sure to try my:
- Sauerbraten
- Rouladen
- Schweinshaxe
- Königsberger Klopse
- Currywurst
- Käsespätzle
- Kartoffelpuffer
- Senfbraten
- Jägerschnitzel
- Maultaschen
- German Potato Soup
- Frikadellen
- German Sauerkraut Soup
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Traditional German Schnitzel (Schweineschnitzel)
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork steaks or chops, (to make Austrian Wienerschnitzel use thin veal cutlets)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 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
- Place the pork chops 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 and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the flour mixture, egg, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls. Dip the chops in the flour, the egg, and the breadcrumbs, coating both sides and all edges at each stage. Be careful not to press the breadcrumbs into the meat. 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) as you don't want the Schnitzel to sit around in the coating before frying. 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. Serve with French fries, Spätzle or German potato salad, and a fresh leafy green salad.
Video
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet March 12, 2014
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
My son just returned home to Indiana from a two week college immersion trip to Tubingen. He brought be back a regional cookbook, but it is German so I can’t read it. Glad to find your site to help me make some of his favorite meals from his trip. We joked that the schnitzel is very similar to the breaded tenderloins we put on sandwiches in Indiana.
Hi Trudy, Tübingen is just a few minutes south from where I’m from in Stuttgart, Germany. Hope your son had a good time! Those breaded tenderloin sandwiches may very likely be of German influence. I’m so glad you found my site as well – happy cooking! Best, Kimberly
read all the way through these comments wondering if anyone else made breaded tenderloins. one of my absolute favorites. seems like they are only found in the central states as no one seemed to have heard of them when we lived on the east or west coast.
So I’m not quite ambitious enough to attempt these from scratch yet, but there is a wonderful German deli in town that sells the schnitzel all ready to fry (fresh of course). I realize they probably won’t be as crispy, but I’m willing to risk it. My question is, what kind of oil do you use to fry them? When I lived in Germany I was just a child, and unfortunately, didn’t pay attention to that kind of thing, but I know when it tastes right, and I imagine the type of oil could have an effect on flavor…
Hi Stephanie! You’ll want to use a flavorless oil. There are a few options, the cheapest being vegetable (soybean), corn and canola. I personally avoid those like the plague because they’re really unhealthy oils, especially for high heat cooking. If you’re concerned about the health factor, I use avocado oil for high heat cooking like frying Schnitzel. Unfortunately it’s expensive, but I have found a great deal on it at Costco which is where I now buy it. It’s the best deal by far. Happy cooking!
Yes I agree. Avo oil for hight heat, and yes from Costco. I’ll be making wienerschnitzel for 10 with potato gratin, steamed bock choi , or green beans w/mushrooms and a green salad. I grew up in the French part of Switzerland, and “tranches pannées” with veal was popular in my family. I love your comments. Thank you.
Thanks, Yolanda, and your dinner party sounds fabulous – have fun and happy eating!
I have been trying to “get it right” for awhile now. I wasn’t using the oil… not too much but just enough! Vielen Dank! Sahneschnitzel is another favourite…and if i could get away with Rotkohl, Spaetzle and Kaesller every night, I would!
We think alike, Sharon! :)
We were stationed in Germany 1976-1980 and used to go to this little place and order Sahneschnitzel (I think that’s the correct spelling.) It had little slices of mushrooms in a white cream sauce, maybe a type of gravy, but not gravy like we have here in Texas.
Yes, Sahneschnitzel is another terrific version!
Never mind, I found it with Hunter’s Pork Chops
Excellent! Happy cooking, deirdret!
I never found the recipe for the gravy from drippings (like my Austrian grandmother used to make). Very disappointed.
We just had these tonight and they were delicious, thanks for sharing your recipe
Wonderful, Ursula, I’m so glad you enjoyed them and really appreciate the feedback!
I loooove Schweineschnitzel! I used this recipe to make a German meal for my family when I went home for Christmas (I live in WA, as well!) and it was a huge hit. I made it with Spätzle, Rotkohl, a nice salad, and Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte for dessert. My family is almost all German, although we’ve been in the US for a few generations, and I’ve been trying to connect with my heritage through cooking and attempting to learn the language so I can speak a little if I ever get to visit Germany again. I love your recipes, so please post more if you have them!
Hi Mallory, I’m so thrilled to hear the Schnitzel was a hit, and the meal you prepared sounds sooooo delicious! I wish I had been one of your dinner guests! :) Cooking authentic German food is a perfect way to connect with your heritage and best of luck with learning the language. I’ll tell you, I grew up speaking German and English fluently so I don’t know any differently, but my non-English speaking friends tell me that English is much harder! English has such crazy, inconsistent rules and ways of pronouncing things, you know? Although German grammar is atrociously difficult, at least the words are all pronounced phonetically! Thanks so much for the compliment and happy cooking! (Oh yes, many more recipes to come :)