Pork Schnitzel

A simple, satisfying favorite.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Restaurant-quality from pantry ingredients.
• Crispy, light, golden crust.
• 30 minutes start to finish.
• Kid favorite served with potatoes and lemon.
• Easy to scale for company.

Ingredient Notes

• Pork loin works if you slice it into ½-inch slabs and pound them thin.
• Butter-oil combo gives flavor (butter) without burning (oil raises smoke point).
• Panko is craggier than regular breadcrumbs; both work.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Chicken cutlets — same technique, same time.
• Veal for traditional Wiener schnitzel.
• Gluten-free flour and crumbs swap directly.

Equipment Needed

• Meat mallet or heavy skillet
• Plastic wrap
• 3 shallow dishes for breading
• Large skillet
• Tongs
• Paper towels

Prep Tips

• Bread all cutlets before frying so the pan stays hot between batches.
• Use a wire rack to hold breaded cutlets so the crust doesn't get soggy.

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather and prep: 1 lb boneless pork, 1 cup flour, 1 large egg, 1 bread crumbs, 2 tbsp butter, 1 lemon (for juice and zest), 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper. Measure everything before you start cooking so the cook moves quickly. Cook pork to 145°F internal and rest 3 minutes; ground pork to 160°F.

2. 2

   Pound pork thin, season.

3. 3

   Bread in flour, egg, crumbs.

4. 4

   Pan-fry in butter until golden.

5. 5

   Serve with lemon.

Artsi Pro Tips

• Pound thin — ¼ inch is the goal. Thick schnitzel won't crisp through.
• Wave the pan gently as it fries so the bubbling butter washes over the top — gives a puffed, blistered crust.
• Serve immediately; the crust softens fast.

Common Mistakes

• Not pounding thin enough.
• Crowding the pan (butter cools, crust gets greasy).
• Holding finished schnitzel in foil — steam makes it soggy.

Recipe Tags