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!
Be sure to also try our Jägerschnitzel smothered in mushroom gravy!
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” served with mushroom gravy), Zigeunerschnitzel (“gypsy schnitzel”, served with a zesty bell pepper sauce), and Rahmschnitzel (“cream schnitzel” served with a rich cream sauce). All three are commonly found in German restaurants and are all positively delicious.
What to Serve with Schnitzel
In Germany, Schnitzel is most commonly served with any of the following:
- French fries
- Spätzle and gravy
- German Potato Salad
- A leafy green salad
Additional serving options include mashed or roasted potatoes, Sauerkraut, German Red Cabbage, and roasted or steamed veggies.
Non-German sides that pair well with Schnitzel include:
Whichever sides you serve it with, it is commonly garnished with a slice or two of lemon and a sprig of parsley.
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.
Expert 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.
Expert 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.
Expert 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”.
Expert 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 above for more serving recommendations.
Enjoy!
For more authentic German recipes be sure to try our:
- Sauerbraten
- Rouladen
- Spaetzle
- Currywurst
- Käsespätzle
- German Potato Salad
- Kartoffelpuffer
- Senfbraten
- Jägerschnitzel
- Maultaschen
- German Potato Soup
- Frikadellen
- Creamy German Cucumber Salad
- German Sauerkraut Soup
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
Jim B says
My wife’s uncle had a restaurant in Xanten and made the best Schnitzel ever, cutting the pork himself in the German way and totally fat free. As we find it impossible to source a similar pork cut in the UK we now use turkey breast steaks. The result for both jager and zigeuner schnitzel is remarkable. Guten appetit.
Susan Dubose says
Did this for dinner last night. Used chicken breasts and broth. Served with hot buttered spatzal on the side. Yuummmmy.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Susan, thank you!
Collin says
Problem. I have been to Germany numerous times and fell in love with wienerschnitzel. I can make it and have used both plain bread crumbs and panko crumbs. I used to get it as a take out a a wonderful old classic german rest in Cleveland and even before I put lemon on it it was amazingly tasty.
Mine on the other hand turn out completely bland and with zero flavor. I an convinced there is another type of correct bread crumbs to use and that plain isn’t it. Any ideas? Thanks
Andrea says
Probably needs more salt. There are not a lot of seasonings in the coating, but salt and pepper are key.
Anonymous says
Exactly! I finally figured it out. It actually requires a good deal of salt and I also
do a coat of light pepper. But back in my hometown of Cleveland I would get schnitzel take out from an old classic German restaurant Der Braumeister the West side and it smelled incredible in the box on the way home and even better at first bite. I don’t know how what they do but I intend to ask them once they reopen. Its either in the breading or some kind of mild seasoning.
Thanks
Stuart Greer says
Would love to get the breading ingredients if you get them from the restaurant. Thanks in advance!
Greg says
Perhaps they prepare the meat in a lemon/salt brine prior to breading. Seems to be somewhat common in the Austrian versions.
Diane Smith says
I searched the internet for the right recipe and when I saw this recipe my hunt was over. Delicious!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Diane, I’m so glad your searching paid off – thank you!
Amy says
I was in Germany for 6 years, I love the schnitzel and also cordon bleu, I would love the cordon bleu recipe
Thomas says
Looks yummy! One of my favorite Authentic German Schnitzel, nice to see your recipe, easy to follow, will cook this for family this weekend. Thank you!
Erika says
Authentic and crispy recipe!
Ben Dover says
first time trying schnitzel but i highly recommend using a conventional oven. All i had was a microwave and tried a little recipe on my own. It was a little chewy but flavor was well. Two thumbs up!
Sarah says
I actually never use flour when making schnitzel. That’s how is wa taught. Other cutlets yes, but I always make my thin schnitzel without the flour and it comes out perfectly! Maybe my grandmother taught me this? Regardless I appreciate the one less step :)
Anonymous says
What oil did you use to fry your Schnitzel?
Lou says
First generation Australian and frankly love to know I’m making Schnitzel as authentic as possible. Importantly though as yummy as possibly good pointers and I’ve tried this method out a few times now. Ta.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Lou, and friendly greetings to Australia!
vikram ranade says
Superb recipe and so Delightfully easy.
It came out delicious
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Vikram, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Laura says
I unsubscribed months ago but still receiving email.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
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Sebastian says
Really nice recipe covering all of the most important steps. One thing I (as a german) would add to this is a little trick I learned from my grandma. While the Schnitzels are frying, use a spoon to drizzle some of the oil on the upper side. This will make the crust a lot more airy and make it stick less to the meat. This also means you won’t need as much oil (for example if you want to cut fat from your diet). Other than that, you explained everything perfectly!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Sebastian, and thanks also for that tip!
Mike Blough says
Love this post and process/recipe. Very informative and interesting as well. I plan to make this over the coming week. Can you offer more a specific recommendation for the cut of pork that works well here? Would the center loin cut into chops and then pounded thin work here? Or is that too lean and to much the “white meat” for this dish? Thank you.
Carolyn says
German Schnitzel I had it at German Festival
It was delicious. I know they are fried. Can you bake them.
Deedeedee says
I’ve been making it this way for years, and I’ve never baked them, but as with any other recipe that calls for bread crumbs surrounding meat in an oven expecting to brown, a spray can of oil or melted butter dripped on the coating does not work! A workaround for this to get that evenly toasted bread crumb flavor you’re looking for from an oil fry is to toast/browned the breadcrumbs before using them. Maybe you can use just a teaspoon of oil or so or less, or none, and lightly toast them in a large Teflon pan stirring constantly until they are slightly fragrant and not burnt. They will continue to brown just a little in the oven but not much. After cooling them off, use them that day in the recipe (I’d rather not store them) and proceed with the recipe as usual, placing the chops in the oven instead of in the oil in a frying pan. I also do this with Panko breadcrumbs Because they never get brown in an oven bake, but when I toast them and flip them constantly with a spatula until their lightly toasted, I am been able to use them in recipes to bake fish etc. where they will be done in 20 minutes but the panko never is. They are so deliciously toasted that way, you can even bake fish and put a 50-50 mix of mayo/Parmesan grated and pack these crumbs on the top toasted and have a delicious meal that way to without having to coat the entire meat/fish.