Wienerschnitzel
Veal cutlets pounded thin, breaded, and fried in enough fat that they swim. Vienna’s, but as standard in Germany as in Austria — and the forerunner of veal Milanese. From The German Cookbook (Mimi Sheraton).
Ingredients
- 6 veal cutlets, pounded
- Lemon juice, optional
- Salt
- ½ to 1 cup flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 tablespoons salad oil, optional
- 1 generous cup dry fine breadcrumbs
- 4 to 5 tablespoons butter, lard, or vegetable shortening
Instructions
The cutlets may be marinated in a sprinkling of lemon juice for 30 minutes before breading. Either way, salt both sides before you start.
Measure the flour onto waxed paper or a flat plate. Beat the eggs and water in a wide flat bowl, beating in the oil if you are using it — the oil helps hold the breading on and crisps it. Measure the breadcrumbs onto waxed paper or a plate.
Dip each salted cutlet lightly into the flour on both sides, then into the beaten egg. Let the excess egg drip off, then dredge with breadcrumbs.
Let the breaded cutlets stand at room temperature 15 to 30 minutes.
Heat the fat in a large skillet — there should be enough for the cutlets to swim. Do not crowd the pan; fry 2 or 3 at a time and add fat as needed.
Put the cutlets in when the butter is very hot and the bubbling starts to subside. Fry the first side slowly until golden brown, then turn once with a spatula — never pierce with a fork. Allow 4 to 6 minutes a side.
Hold finished cutlets in a 250°F to 275°F oven, uncovered, while the rest fry.
Notes
The cut is always from the veal leg, sliced with the long grain at a slight diagonal so it does not fall apart when pounded, then beaten to between 1/6 and 1/8 inch. A butcher will do it better than you will. Without a mallet, sandwich the slice in waxed paper and flatten it with the bottom of a dinner plate.
Never cover a fried schnitzel. The breading steams and goes soggy.
If it takes longer than 8 to 12 minutes total, the cutlet is too thick.
Lard gives the crispest, driest crust; some people dislike the flavor. Butter is the usual choice.
Schnitzel à la Holstein: top each cutlet with a fried egg, two anchovy fillets laid across it, and a sprinkling of well-drained capers.
Käseschnitzel: swap half the breadcrumbs for grated Parmesan — ½ cup each.
Photo: Anagoria, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.