Pork Schnitzel

Ingredients

• 75 g (1 cup)thinly sliced mushrooms
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons), plus more as neededolive oil
• 75 g (½ cup)finely chopped onion
• 2 clovesgarlic, minced
• 120 ml (½ cup)red wine
• 120 ml (½ cup)chicken stock
• 60 ml (¼ cup)double cream
• 2pork cutlets, pounded thin
• As neededplain flour, for dredging
• 2 eggs and 45 ml (3 tablespoons) watereggs and water, whisked well
• As neededpanko breadcrumbs
• As neededrapeseed oil, for frying
• To tastekosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the mushrooms

   Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the mushrooms until golden. Add the onion and cook until softened, then stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

2. 2

   Finish the sauce

   Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan and simmer for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and cream, then cook until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Set up coating

   Put the flour, whisked egg and water, and panko breadcrumbs in separate shallow dishes. Season each lightly with salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Coat the pork

   Dip each cutlet in flour, then the egg mixture, and finally the breadcrumbs, coating it all over. The coated cutlets can be prepared ahead and refrigerated before cooking.

5. 5

   Fry the cutlets

   Heat 1.3 cm (½ inch) of rapeseed oil in a 30 cm (12 inch) cast-iron frying pan over high heat. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the breaded pork and reduce the heat to medium. Fry for about 3–4 minutes per side, until very crisp and cooked through.

6. 6

   Serve with sauce

   Transfer the schnitzel to a plate lined with kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the mushroom sauce.

What is pork schnitzel?

Schnitzel is a familiar Central European dish of thin meat coated in crumbs and fried until crisp. Pork is a popular choice in German versions, where the thin cutlet cooks quickly and gives plenty of surface area for a crunchy coating.

Here, a red wine mushroom sauce makes the dish especially hearty. Its savoury, creamy richness contrasts with the crisp pork rather than hiding it.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 850 calories, 48g protein, 54g carbs, 45g fat.

Most of the protein comes from the pork, while the flour, egg and breadcrumb coating supplies much of the carbohydrate. Frying oil and cream contribute most of the fat, with the sauce also adding some from the olive oil. Serve with green vegetables or salad for a fresh contrast and a more balanced plate.

Build a savoury mushroom sauce

Mushrooms first: cook them until golden to bring out a deeper savoury flavour before adding the onion. Let the onion soften, then add the garlic briefly so it becomes fragrant without browning.

Wine and cream: deglazing with red wine lifts the browned flavour from the pan. Simmer it for a few minutes before adding stock and cream, then reduce the mixture until it thickens.

Make the coating stick

Three dishes: keep flour, egg mixture and panko in separate shallow dishes so each cutlet can be coated in sequence. Shake off excess flour before dipping in egg, and let excess egg drip away before pressing on the crumbs.

Panko gives the outside a coarse, crisp texture. Coat the cutlets evenly, including their edges, and handle them gently so the breadcrumbs stay in place.

Fry for a crisp finish

Oil level: the recipe calls for 1.3 cm of oil in a 30 cm pan. Heat it until it just begins to smoke, then lower the heat to medium as soon as the pork goes in.

Doneness: cook for about 3–4 minutes per side, looking for a deeply crisp, golden coating and pork cooked through. If the coating darkens too quickly, lower the heat so the centre has time to cook.

Time the sauce and cutlets

Prepare the sauce first and keep it warm while you bread and fry the pork. If you make the cutlets ahead, refrigerate them until you are ready to cook.

For the best texture, serve the schnitzel soon after frying. Spoon the sauce alongside or over the cutlets at the table to preserve some of the crunchy crust.

What to serve alongside

A simple green salad or steamed green vegetables bring a fresh contrast to the rich sauce and fried coating. Boiled potatoes, mash or buttered noodles make the meal more substantial.

Keep the sauce separate until serving if you want the crust to stay crisp. A little extra black pepper at the table works well with the red wine and mushrooms.

Recipe notes & tips

• Pound the cutlets to an even thinness so they cook at a similar rate.
• Arrange the coating dishes in order before you begin breading.
• Press the panko gently onto the cutlets so it adheres evenly.
• Cook the mushrooms until golden before adding the onion.
• Let excess egg drip off before coating the pork in breadcrumbs.
• Serve the sauce beside the schnitzel to keep the crust crisp.

Variations

• Use white wine: substitute it for the red wine for a lighter-coloured sauce.
• Add thyme: stir a little into the mushroom sauce as it simmers.
• Try veal: use thin veal cutlets in place of the pork.
• Add lemon: serve with lemon wedges for a bright squeeze over the schnitzel.
• Make it dairy-free: use a suitable unsweetened cream alternative in the sauce.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowded coating dishes: the cutlets are harder to coat evenly; work with one at a time.
• Uneven cutlets: thick spots may cook more slowly; pound the pork to an even thickness.
• Pale mushrooms: they can turn soft rather than golden; give them room in the pan and cook until browned.
• Oil too cool: the coating can absorb oil instead of crisping; wait until the oil just begins to smoke.
• Heat left too high: the crumbs may brown before the pork cooks through; reduce the heat to medium after adding the cutlets.
• Sauce on the crust: it softens the coating; serve the sauce alongside if crunch matters.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover schnitzel and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat the pork in an oven until hot to help restore its crispness, and warm the sauce gently in a pan.

Frequently asked questions