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Austria, Europe

Wiener Schnitzel

Vienna's national dish: veal pounded thin, breaded and fried in plenty of fat until the golden crust puffs up in waves, served with lemon.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time45 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsIn Austria, 'Wiener Schnitzel' may only be made from veal. Made the same way with pork loin, it is called 'Schnitzel Wiener Art' (Viennese-style schnitzel).

Method

  1. Peel the potatoes and cut any large ones into 4 cm pieces. Put them in a 18 cm pot with cold water and a pinch of salt, bring to the boil over high heat, then lower to medium heat and simmer for . When a knife slides in easily, drain and keep them covered.

    Add in this stepWaxy potatoes (small new potatoes are ideal) 400 gSalt (for the potatoes) to taste

    high heat→medium heat

  2. Pat the meat dry with paper towel. If it is thicker than 1 cm, slice it horizontally almost through and open it like a book. Place it between two sheets of cling film (or inside a freezer bag) and pound it with the flat side of a meat mallet or the base of a small pan, working from the centre outwards, until it is an even 4 to 5 mm thick. Make 2 or 3 short 1 cm cuts around the edge so it doesn't curl, and salt both sides just before breading.

    Add in this stepVeal escalopes from the leg (about 140 g each; pork loin also works) 280 gSalt (for the meat) ½ tsp

  3. Set out three wide plates: flour; egg beaten with the milk using a fork just until the white is broken up; breadcrumbs. Dredge the meat in flour and shake off the excess, dip it in egg and let the excess drip off, then lay it in the crumbs, scatter more on top and give it a gentle shake. Don't press the crumbs on, or the crust won't puff. Fry straight away after breading.

    Add in this stepPlain flour 50 gEggs 1Milk (or cream) 1 tbspFine dry breadcrumbs (not panko) 90 g

  4. Melt the lard in a deep 26 cm frying pan so it is about 1 cm deep and heat over medium-high heat for , to about 170°C. It is ready when a few breadcrumbs dropped in sizzle immediately and float.

    Add in this stepLard (or clarified butter or neutral oil) 480 g

    medium-high heat

  5. Lay the schnitzel in the fat, away from you, then gently rock the pan back and forth so hot fat washes over the top. This makes the crust lift away from the meat and puff into waves. Fry over medium-high heat for , until the underside is deep golden, then turn with a spatula and fry more. Fry one at a time, 2 round(s) in total; between rounds, scoop out any dark crumbs and let the fat reheat for 1 minute.

    medium-high heat

  6. Drain the schnitzel briefly on a rack or paper towel. Meanwhile, add the butter and parsley to the potatoes and toss over low heat for until glossy, then season with salt.

    Add in this stepButter (for the potatoes) 20 gFlat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 tbspSalt (for the potatoes) to taste

    low heat

  7. Serve at once on warm plates with lemon wedges and the parsley potatoes. Squeeze the lemon over just before eating.

    Add in this stepLemon, cut into wedges ½

Cook's tip

If the fat isn't hot enough the crust soaks up oil and goes soggy, so always do the crumb test. Fine dry breadcrumbs are traditional rather than panko. In Austria it is often served with lingonberry jam or Viennese potato salad. Never pour sauce over a schnitzel; its crispness is the whole point.

Cooking it at camp

Pound the meat at home, wrap it and keep it in the cooler; bread it at the campsite right before frying. On a burner, use a deep pan that holds heat well, such as cast iron, fry one at a time and set up a windshield so the fat stays hot. Let the used fat cool, then take it home in a jar.