This is a classic and delicious German dish, breaded and shallow-fried pork loin cutlets. You can't go wrong with this favorite! It is a version of the popular "Wiener Schnitzel", but instead of the more delicate veal cutlet of a "Wiener Schnitzel", my Mom uses lean pork loin cutlets.
Of course you can use any kind of gravy and sides, but I grew up with my Mom's version: salted boiled potatoes, veggies and "Jägersoße" (a mushroom gravy).
Alternative popular German sides for a "Wiener Schnitzel" are a Swabian potato salad, a mixed green salad or spätzle pasta that goes well with the gravy.
Ingredients:
Cutlets- 2-4 pork loin cutlets (lean)
- salt, pepper
- garlic seasoning
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 2-3 cups breadcrumps (e.g., Panko)
- oil (for frying)
- harissa to taste
- cremini mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon butter
- instant gravy powder (e.g., Maggie Delikatessen Soße)
- water
- salt, pepper
- boiled potatoes (peeled and boiled in salt water)
- vegetables (e.g., fresh brussle sprouts, canned peas and carrots, frozen mexican mix, etc.)
Preparation:
- Breading: Place some plastic wrap over the cutlets and tenderize with a meat hammer from both sides. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder from both sides. Then, prepare the breading stations. Add the eggs into a deep plate, add some salt and pepper, and stir with a fork. Place some flour and some bread crumps, each on a large square piece of tin foil. Alternatively, you can also use a deep plate. However, the tin foil makes it easier to cover the entire cutlet as you can take it in the hand and wrap it around the cutlet. Now, one cutlet at a time, first place it in the flour and move the cutlet and tin foil so, that the entire cutlet is covered with flour, from both sides. Then, pull the cutlet through the mixed eggs, also from both sides. Lastly, place the now wet cutlet on the breadcrumps and move the tin foil and cutlet till it is completely breaded. If needed, sprinkle some more fresh breadcrumps on top.
- Fake (egg) cutlets: With the leftover stirred eggs and breadcrumps, create some "fake" cutlets. Add the remaining breadcrumps to the stirred eggs, bit by bit, till the mix is getting firmer. You may not need to add all the breadcrumps, you do not want it too firm. Just enough, so that you can form little round flat cutlets.
- Shallow-frying: Add oil to a frying pan, about 1cm deep. To test whether the oil is hot enough, use a wooden spoon. Dip it into the oil and wait a few seconds. If it is hot enough, little bubbles will form around the wooden spoon. Now, add the cutlets to the frying pan and fry for about 3-5 minutes on one side. When the sides are getting darker and dry, it is time to flip the cutlet around and fry it on the other side for another 3 minutes. The cutlet should be light brown and crispy from both sides. At the end, fry the egg cutlets the same way. Take the cutlets out of the oil and place them on a plate with a paper towl to catch excess oil.
- Mushroom gravy: Slice the mushrooms. Heat up the butter in a small pot, add the mushrooms and fry for 3-5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the water and bring to a boil. Stir in the gravy powder and let simmer till it thickens. If too liquid, add more gravy powder. If too thick, add a bit more water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serving: Serve a cutlet (and a fake cutlet) with a side of boiled and salted potatoes, some veggies and the mushroom gravy. Also, I like to drizzle a spoonful of the hot oil with breadcrumps over the potatoes (in the frying pan, there will be some fried breadcrumps, take a spoon and try to get breadcrumps with as little oil as possible). We also like to put a few drops of harissa on top of the cutlet.
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