Description
Master the art of making authentic pork schnitzel, and learn to recreate this Austrian culinary classic at home, achieving a perfect balance of tender meat and crispy coating. The process is simpler than you think.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 lemon sliced into quarters + 1 additional lemon for serving
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 2 cups 16 ounces dark lager beer
- 4 boneless pork chops
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 cups panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- In a medium pot, combine 2 cups water, salt, brown sugar, lemon, garlic, and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat then simmer for 10 minutes. Once the salt and sugar have dissolved, remove from heat and set aside to cool for 15 minutes. Stir in the ice and beer. The brine should be 40°F. If warmer, place in the refrigerator to cool.
- While the brine cools, place pork chops between two sheets of plastic wrap on a large solid surface. If using thick pork chops, it is helpful to butterfly them first. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, the back of a large pan (I find cast iron skillets to work exceptionally well), or a rolling pin, firmly and carefully pound them to an even ¼-inch thickness. Place pork chops and brine in a 1-gallon bag and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
- To prepare the schnitzel, arrange three shallow dishes on the countertop (cake rounds and aluminum pie pans work well here). Place the flour in one dish and season with salt and pepper. Whisk eggs and milk together in the second dish and season with salt and pepper. In the third dish, add the panko bread crumbs and again season with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece of pork in flour, followed by the egg mixture, and then coat with bread crumbs. To ensure an even coating, hold the pork gently at one edge and allow any excess to fall back into the dish before moving to the next.
- Lay the coated pork on a plate lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for 10 minutes. This will allow the coating to dry out a bit and better adhere to the pork.
- Add oil and butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Taking care not to overcrowd the pan, add the pork chops and cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Repeat with remaining pork chops. To serve, garnish with lemon wedges and curly parsley and serve with a stein of German lager.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Brining: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Main
- Method: frying
- Cuisine: Austrian