This is the best recipe for Pork Schnitzel! Made with pork cutlets and a handful of simple ingredients, you’ll be set with a super easy and delicious dinner.
I promise promise promise you will love this pork schnitzel. I for one, love pork, I mean come on we’re talking bacon. However, settle down now, we are not exactly talking bacon here, we are talking schnitzel. I just love saying schnitzel, come on say it out loud, schnitzel. SCHNITZEL. Well if you’ve never had a schnitzel, you must have one, so let’s talk schnitzel.
Although pork schnitzel is a popular German dish, it is also a dish that was often on our dinner table growing up. This was a common dinner on a weeknight or sometimes they were perfect for a Sunday night family dinner. This recipe has been a favorite to this day! My husband is always requesting schnitzel for dinner. Pork rules, my friends.
What is Schnitzel?
Schnitzel is meat that has been tenderized and pounded to a thin piece, then fried in oil. We usually see schnitzel breaded, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be! I’ve tried some fantastic schnitzel without breading. Today I have a classic recipe for pork schnitzel with a super easy breadcrumb coating. Let’s get into it!
Ingredient Notes
- Pork cutlets – You’re going to be pounding your pork out to be nice and thin so it’ll be a lot easier if you start out with some cutlets that are already thin.
- Vegetable oil – You need an oil with a high smoke point to fry your schnitzel. Peanut, safflower, sunflower, or canola oil will work as well.
- Eggs – I used large eggs for this recipe. Since we’re using them to dredge the pork, you can use any size or type that you have handy.
- All-purpose flour – Flour is a must for this recipe. With the egg, it will bind those breadcrumbs to your pork for a nice crispy schnitzel. You can use gluten-free flour if you want.
- Breadcrumbs – Panko is always my go-to breadcrumb for the best and crispiest schnitzel. You can use regular or Italian breadcrumbs as well.
- Salt & pepper – You can season to your own preference.
What other meat can I use
Pretty much anything can be schnitze-ified. Check out my recipe for Chicken Schnitzel to switch it up! You can also try this with thin tenderized steaks, but keep in mind that beef when it’s that thin can only be cooked well done and may turn out tough as a result.
At most German restaurants schnitzel is usually always made from veal because it’s nice and tender.
How to make Pork Schnitzel
- Tenderize the pork: Using the flat end of a meat tenderizer, pound the pork working from the center out until the cutlets are 1/4″ thick.
- Bread the pork: Prepare 3 shallow dishes. One will have the flour, one will have the eggs (beaten), and the last one will have the breadcrumbs. Season each dish with salt and pepper.
- Fry the pork: Fill a large skillet with about 1/2″ of oil over medium-high heat. Fry the cutlets for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until they’re a nice deep golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
Some tips
- Work slow and deliberately when tenderizing the pork so you don’t tear holes in the cutlets. Get them nice and thin!
- Use Panko breadcrumbs if you can find them. They’re larger than regular breadcrumbs and will give you the best and crispiest schnitzel.
- Test your oil by placing a small piece of bread to make sure it’s hot enough to add your pork. If it’s too cook, it’ll absorb too much oil and become greasy.
- Keep a close eye on your cutlets as they’re frying. Adjust the heat as needed to make sure you get the perfect color.
- Serve your pork schnitzel with fresh lemon wedges and mustard.
Leftovers
Store your schnitzel in an airtight container in the fridge, and it will last 3-4 days. To reheat, place it on a baking sheet and bake at 400F for 15 minutes, and turn halfway through. This isn’t a great one to reheat in the microwave because the breading will get soggy.
You can also freeze your schnitzel if you’d like. They will store well in either a large freezer bag or an airtight container. Lay them all flat on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for an hour before putting them in a container. This will prevent them from sticking and freezing into a lump.
To reheat, bake the frozen pieces at 400F for 25 minutes, turning halfway through.
How to serve
- Mashed Potatoes
- Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
- Creamy Sausage Mushroom Pasta
- Italian Roasted Mushrooms and Veggies
- Italian Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
More great recipes to try:
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Pork Schnitzel
Ingredients
- 10 pork cutlets
- vegetable oil for frying
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs I used Panko
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tsp pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Pound each pork chop until just ¼ inch thick with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. Lightly season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. You need enough oil so that the schnitzels swim in it, about 1/2 inch.
- Place the flour mixture, egg, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls. Dip the chops in the flour, the egg, and then bread crumbs, coating both sides.
- Make sure the cooking oil is hot enough at this point.
- Fry the schnitzels for about 2-3 minutes on both sides until a deep golden brown. Transfer briefly to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Serve immediately over mashed potatoes.
Recipe Notes
- I used Panko breadcrumbs because I find that the pork schnitzel comes out crispier but Italian breadcrumbs work just as well.
- I used pork cutlets because they are boneless and I find they are easier to work with and pound, but pork chops work as well, though I would remove the bones first.
- Serve these with lemon wedges, mustard and over mashed potatoes for an amazing meal.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
