Pork schnitzel does not have to be deep fried to be delicious. Of course, deep frying will always give you the crispiest and most authentic results, but I find deep frying to be so messy and I know it intimidates some people. This recipe is made to be easy for beginners, while not sacrificing on flavor, and the resulting pork schnitzel is still crispy as long as you don’t let it sit around for too long.
How to Serve Pork Schnitzel
In winter, I like to serve pork schnitzel with mashed potatoes and steamed or roasted vegetables. In summer, I think it’s nice with a green salad, maybe potato salad too. I find the leftovers are great on sandwiches, though it’s never quite as crispy the next day.
Additions and Substitutions
You can easily sub chicken breast cutlets for the pork. As long as you can pound them to the same thickness, the cooking time should be about the same.
If you can’t find panko, you can just use regular dry breadcrumbs, though I feel like the result is not as crispy.
You can add or subtract seasonings as you see fit. You can use garlic salt instead of regular, and I’ve also enjoyed adding Dukkah to the panko instead of the paprika. Experiment as much as you want!
How to Make Pork Schnitzel
Prepare Pork
Trim off any large bits of fat, and then pound the pork to an even thickness, about 1/4 inch. To do this, I place a piece of plastic wrap on a cutting board, put a piece of pork on top of that, and then cover it with another piece of plastic before pounding with the smooth side of a meat mallet. You can also use a rolling pin, or a cast iron skillet.
Prepare Breading Mixtures
Take three shallow bows. In one, add the flour. In the second, beat together the egg and milk, and in the third, add the panko and paprika. Season each bowl with salt and pepper and mix well. I usually use about 1/2 teaspoon salt total and add a few grinds of black pepper to each bowl.
Bread Pork
This part can get messy. I usually try to keep one hand dry and one wet. So use one hand to coat the pork in the flour, then the other to dip in the egg mixture. Lay the pork flat in the panko and, using the dry hand, cover with panko. Then you can pick it up with the dry hand and set it on a parchment paper lined plate. I feel the breading adheres better to the pork if allowed to sit for a few minutes before cooking. The parchment paper is necessary as otherwise the pork has a tendency to stick to the plate, leaving some of the breading behind, and you don’t want that!
Cook Pork
Heat a large skillet over medium heat — I use cast iron. Add just enough oil so that there’s a thin layer on the bottom of the pan, around 2-3 tablespoons should do it. Cook each piece of pork for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. If the pork does not seem to be browning fast enough, you can turn up the heat a little. You will probably have to do two batches, so make sure you add more oil if needed so that the bottom of the pan is always covered. Once cooked, place the pork on a wire cooling rack until you’ve finished cooking all the pieces. I don’t recommend placing on paper towels as I find it makes the underside get soggy pretty quickly.
Serve
Your pork schnitzel is now ready to eat. Serve promptly, as it won’t stay crispy for too long.
Pork Schnitzel
Ingredients
- 1 lb thin cut boneless pork chops trimmed of excess fat
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- peanut or other neutral oil for shallow frying
Instructions
- Pound pork chops to an even thickness, about 1/4 inch is ideal.
- Take three shallow bowls. In one add the flour, in the second, beat the egg and milk together, and in the third, add the panko and paprika. Season each with salt and pepper and mix well.
- Working with one piece at a time, coat the pork in the flour mixture, then the egg, and then the panko. Set on a parchment-lined plate and leave pork to sit for a few minutes while you heat up the pan.
- Set a large skillet over medium heat and add 2-3 tablespoons of oil, enough to form a thin layer on the bottom of the pan.
- Cook pork chops, for 2-3 minutes each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Turn up the heat a little if you feel the pork isn't browning fast enough. You will probably need to do two batches; add extra oil if needed.
- Once cooked, set the pork schnitzel on a cooling rack to drain for a minute or two before serving.
Notes
- I don’t set the pork on paper towels after cooking because I find this makes them get soggy faster.
Did you make this recipe? If so, follow @theflavorvortex on Instagram and post a picture using #theflavorvortex as I would love to see it!