Schnitzel

Whenever my mother made pork chops, they were pounded thin, dredged in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, then fried and served quickly. The way I like to make them sort of fits into several categories.   They're not Weiner Schnitzel because they're not veal, not Jager Schnitzel because there's no mushroom sauce. So, I'm sharing my Schnitzel recipe made the way I like it with caramelized onions. 

I also like to serve them several different ways.  Dinner is wonderful with spatzle or any noodles and asparagus or broccoli,Another way to enjoy schnitzel is for Breakfast, I prepare it the same way and  serve it with an over-easy egg and the onions on top - it's  simply delicious!! and then there's the leftovers, they make delicious sandwiches  (hot or cold) and yummy tacos.  For tacos, I slice the schnitzel and warm it in a hot pan, add a little butter or oil if needed, add in any leftover onions and serve in a warm corn tortilla with your favorite taco toppings.

To make Schnitzel begin with a pork cutlet,  place it between two sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap (I use both) and pound thin with a meat mallet or skillet, or I use my rolling pin (tenderizing does two things, it tenderizes the meat and also makes it an even thickness so that it cooks evenly) Repeat with each cutlet and set aside.

 



Slice onions and cook over low heat in a separate pan with butter until they are limp and beginning to brown. Let these cook while you're preparing the meat. If the onions are done

before the meat is ready, remove them from heat and keep them warm until ready to serve

 Get 3 bowls ready with one with flour, one with beaten eggs and one with bread crumbs (I make my own bread crumbs by putting dry slices of bread in the food processor, this is from a bruschetta that dried out before we could eat it all )

after

before

I beat the eggs with a little water and salt & pepper, also, season the bread crumbs with salt & pepper

 

 

Dredge cutlet in flour, then dip in egg, the coat with bread crumbs, gently shake off any extra.

( tip: during the coating process, if you use one hand for the dry ingredients and one for the wet ingredients, you won't end up with huge globs on the end of your fingers)

Fry immediately in hot oil over medium heat, schnitzel should swim in the oil so that it doesn't stick to the pan, when it is brown on each side ( it should take about 3 minutes),

 

 

 remove from pan and drain on paper towel to remove any excess oil.  Serve immediately with the caramelized onions on top