Viennese Wiener Schnitzel

Hello, Dollinks! It’s time to make Viennese Wiener Schnitzel! No accordions or polka dancing in the kitchen, please. And so we begin.

Viennese Wiener Schnitzel:

Pork tenderloin, cut horizontally into ½-in. (1.25 cm) pieces (see Note)

Flour, as needed

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 egg plus 1 tbsp. (15 mL) water, well beaten

Fine, dry bread crumbs, as needed

Butter or margarine, melted, as needed

1 or more fresh lemons, quartered

Have four clean dinner plates and a raised baking rack at the ready. Spoon flour into one, seasoning with salt and pepper. Beat egg and water together in the second. Shake bread crumbs onto the third. Pound sliced tenderloin rounds very thinly, stacking onto fourth plate. Using a small pair of tongs, quickly coat both sides of flattened meat rounds with seasoned flour, then beaten egg, and then bread crumbs. Rest briefly on rack to dry. 

(To make ahead: At this point, you may cover and refrigerate meat on a flat surface such as a baking sheet until ready to cook). In large skillet, melt butter or margarine on medium-high heat until sizzling. Fry coated rounds about 1 min. per side, until golden. Place cooked schnitzels in low oven to keep warm until all meat has been fried. Serve at once, with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Note: One whole pork tenderloin and a single egg for dipping are enough for 3 or 4 servings.  I’ve left the quantities open-ended, because you may want to prepare this dish for a crowd. 

Over the next few days, we’ll make Red Cabbage, Spätzle, Roast Potatoes and Sächer Torte. Loosen your belts!

Remove visible fat from tenderloin.

Slice into 3/4-in. rounds, trimming away last bits of fat.

Pound sliced tenderloins flat.

Use a meat mallet that is flat on one side and indented

on the other, breaking sinews and tenderizing meat.

Using flat blade of meat cleaver (instead of meat mallet) 

distributes meat’s weight more evenly as you pound it.

Use separate plates for meat, flour, egg, crumbs.

Dip lightly salted pounded meat in flour ...

Dip in egg ...

And in crumbs. Fry in butter, margarine, or olive oil.

Serve golden brown and piping hot!