Bavarian Pork Schnitzel
Possibly the most famous of all Germanic foods, Bavarian Pork Schnitzel is always a winner. Thinly beaten pork, generously coated in fresh breadcrumbs and fried to golden-brown perfection. Yum!
While the Viennese may have the most famous schnitzel in the world, in Bavaria we usually make our schnitzels with, perhaps unsurprisingly, pork!
I think Bavarian Pork Schnitzel is much more delicious anyway, and it is simple and delicious to make at home.
What is a Bavarian Schnitzel?
Unlike our cousins the Viennese, who prefer to make their schnitzels from veal (Wiener Schnitzel), pork is the preferred meat here in Bavaria.
And what could be better to line your stomach in the beer garden or beer tent than deliciously tender pork coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and fried in creamy butter?
How to make a great schnitzel
The trick to a great schnitzel is pounding the meat very thin, as this is what tenderises it and makes it so tasty and easy to eat.
In Bavaria, we say that schnitzels ought to be cooked in so much butter that they float in the pan, but as delicious as that is, it’s not necessary to use so much.
Variations
There are loads of variations on the theme and plenty of restaurants here in Munich pride themselves on having a whole separate ’Schnitzelkarte’ or schnitzel menu so you can choose your favourite type.
I love a ‘Munich-style’ schnitzel, in which the meat is spread with horseradish and Bavarian sweet mustard before crumbing and frying. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
If you like your schnitzel with a bit more sauce, try a Zigeuner or Gypsy schnitzel instead.
Does schnitzel have to be pork?
Of course not. You can use this method of cooking with any of the main meats, beef, chicken, pork or veal.
Whatever meat you use, It’s important not to treat the schnitzel like a steak. If you put the schnitzels into a screaming hot pan, the meat will overcook and be tough. If you gently cook them, however, in oil and butter to golden brown perfection, the reward is in every bite.
What to serve with pork schnitzel?
It is traditional to serve schnitzel with plenty of French fried (pommes), but they are also very tasty served with a traditional Bavarian Potato Salad (kartoffelsalat).
Don’t forget plenty of beer to wash it all down with! At the Oktoberfest, they serve a special (strong!) beer called a Helles, but in Munich, it’s actually popular to have a wheat beer instead.
What’s your favourite type of schnitzel? Do you have a local German restaurant serving amazing (and huge!) schnitzels? Let me know in the comments below!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I use other types of meat to make schnitzel?
Absolutely! The Austrians swear by veal, as in their famous Wiener schnitzel, but beef, chicken or turkey make great alternatives. Poultry is much more fragile than pork, so be gentle when pounding the meat thinly.
Can I make schnitzel in advance?
You can make the schnitzel up to the point of crumbing it, then refrigerate it for up to two days.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
You certainly can. Simply keep the schnitzels in the oven as you go to keep them warm. You may need to change the butter and oil if you are making a lot as the butter will start to scorch. Alternatively, use clarified butter or ghee instead.
Don’t forget to click this link to see more Oktoberfest inspired recipes!
Bavarian Pork Schnitzel Recipe
Bavarian Pork Schnitzel
Possibly the most famous of all Germanic foods, Bavarian Pork Schnitzel is always a winner. Thinly beaten pork, generously coated in fresh breadcrumbs and fried to golden-brown perfection. Yum!
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless pork steaks, 4 chops or cutlets
- 3 Tbsp plain or all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp sweet paprika powder
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 200 g fresh breadcrumbs
- 75 g unsalted butter
- 30 ml sunflower oil
- salt and pepper
to serve:
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- BEAT SCHNITZELS: Prepare the schnitzels by removing any fat, then beating them very thin. I place them between two pieces of clingfilm and then bash them with a rolling pin. The secret to a great schnitzel is in how thin the meat is, as this is what makes them so tender. Season the schnitzel well on both sides, then set aside.
- CRUMB SCHNITZELS: In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, paprika, egg and milk. Place the breadcrumbs onto a large plate and season well with salt and pepper. one by one, dredge the schnitzels through the flour and egg mixture, then place into the breadcrumbs, turning the schnitzels and pressing the breadcrumbs gently to make sure the schnitzels are well covered.
- PREPARE: Turn the oven on to low, with a heatproof tray or dish inside. In a frying pan large enough to hold two schnitzels at once, heat the butter and oil together over medium heat until the butter has started to foam.
- FRY SCHNITZELS: Carefully lay two of the schnitzels into the pan and cook very gently until golden brown on both sides, turning only once using a fork. Transfer to the oven to keep warm on the tray while you cook the remaining schnitzels.
- SERVE: Serve hot with fries and lemon wedges.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1 schnitzel | Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 469mg | Potassium: 594mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1290IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?I’d love to hear how it went! Please leave a review or a star rating and let me know how it was! Use the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.
Heya.
First ever internet recipe. So, i’m dirt poor, and live in Hell, but i need protein everyday, so the same thing gets OLD. I’ve actually been to Bavaria, all over it, and i had schnitzels about a handful of times there, pretty much any time rumpsteak was not available (okay, i was richer then). So i gets to thinkin’… this recipe was invented by poor people trying to make their limited protein go further… lets try it out. Turned out pretty damn good. A little more involved than i’d hoped (most times i hate cooking, doing dishes, or dont have time, so not good), but it was damn tasty. I’ll do it again, but i’m gonna have to streamline the process somehow.
However… i have a suggestion. Some people REALLY cant cook. Maybe its just me, but it would be nice to get measurements on salt and pepper too. I mean, i can salt an egg properly, but these are different parameters, so i had to guess. Just a suggested amount, because i know its always to taste. Thats my only gripe. I salted mine in the pan, so it worked out and i got it right. But to measure for a plate of breadcrumbs…
Also, i had this dish about five times in Germany and Austria, but they were all slightly different tasting, some better than others (they were all very good). So what different details might they add to change the taste? Different spices? Different methods? I know… literally zero about spicing food. I’m that guy that literally puts steak spice on everything, so suggestions would be gold.
That two weeks in Germany and Austria was THE best food i ever tasted. The worst meal there was better than the best here (Western Canada). I think i’ll explore more recipes in that vein.
Thanks.
Hi there!
Thank you so much for writing and your brilliant suggestions, you are absolutely right about salt, it’s always a bit tricky as people who cook a lot tend to use a lot more salt than you might think, maybe our tastebuds get a bit used to it. It is alwqays good to have a ballpark figure. I’ll definitely add that to my recipes from now on!
It sounds like you had a brilliant adventure in Germany and Austria, it is such a beautiful part of the world and they sure know how to eat. You are quite right about schnitzel, it is a way to make cheaper, tougher cuts of meat stretch further (and taste delicious too!) Sometimes if I am in a hurry I use whole egg mayonnaise to stick the breadcrumbs to the meat, it works really well and you don’t have to mess around with dipping in the egg.
Every cook around here spices their schnitzel slightly differently, but ground sweet paprika is very common. Here in Munich we have a special schnitzel (Münchner Schnitzel) where the meat is spread with horseradish and sweet Bavarian mustard before breading – it’s really tasty too! In Austria I believe they add a little oil to the eggs which creates little air pockets between the crumbs and the meat, that makes it taste a little different.
I am so happy that you are exploring German and Austrian recipes! We love to eat over here and often use cheaper cuts of meat to make delicious meals. It may sound weird, but chicken heart stew is one of my favourite recipes and chicken hearts are a super cheap source of very lean protein.
I hope you find some other recipes here that you enjoy, let me know!
All the best for the festive season, J.