Pork Schnitzel
Thin pork cutlets in a light, puffed golden breadcrumb crust, pan-fried in butter and oil and served with plenty of lemon.
By Marisol Vance, Founder & Head of Recipe Development
Published April 24, 2026
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Medium
A proper schnitzel should be thin, tender and wearing a crisp golden coat that puffs away from the meat in soft waves. The technique is simple but specific: pound the pork thin, bread it lightly just before cooking, and fry it in enough hot fat that you can gently swirl the pan.
That swirling motion is the secret. It washes hot fat over the top of the cutlet so the coating sets quickly and billows up, rather than soaking up oil. Finishing with a little butter in the pan adds nutty flavor without burning.
Serve it the Austrian and German way with lemon wedges and a potato or cucumber salad, or go for a jammy lingonberry sauce on the side. A cold lager does not hurt.
- Puffy golden crust
- Ready in 35 minutes
- Classic with lemon
Ingredients
Directions
Place each pork chop between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or small heavy skillet to an even 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness.
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