Traditional Wiener Schnitzel or Viennese Cutlet Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a Wiener Schnitzel traditionally made of? ›

The dish is prepared from veal slices, butterfly cut, about 4 mm (3⁄16 in) in thickness and lightly pounded flat, slightly salted, and rolled in flour, whipped eggs, and bread crumbs. The bread crumbs must not be pressed into the meat, so that they stay dry and can be "souffléd".

When it says Wiener Schnitzel on the menu, it refers to a veal escalope that is fried out in clarified butter. Before breading, the meat is carefully pounded, seasoned and moistened, then dredged in flour, egg and finally breadcrumbs.

In Germany, the term Schnitzel means cutlets in general, not just breaded, fried ones. Schnitzel Wiener Art ('Viennese style schnitzel') is a pounded, breaded and fried cutlet, more often made of pork than of veal.

Basically, all schnitzels are breaded and fried thin pieces of meat, but only wiener schnitzel is made with veal. Cooking term: Schnitzel is a cooking term used to describe any meat pounded thin, then breaded and fried. Key ingredient: Schnitzel is made with pork, chicken, beef, or veal.

The two most popular types of schnitzel are the German schweineschnitzel, usually made from pork, and the Austrian wiener schnitzel, which is always made from veal.

Cotoletta alla milanese ([milaˈneːze] after its place of origin, Milan) is a fried veal breaded cutlet similar to Wiener schnitzel, but cooked with the bone in. It is traditionally fried in clarified butter.

Traditionally, a Wiener Schnitzel is a cutlet of veal pounded thin by a meat tenderizer, then dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs (in that order), and fried until golden. Wiener means “Viennese” in German, but the concept behind the Wiener Schnitzel likely first appeared elsewhere (I've read in Milan, Italy).

schnitzel, a thin meat cutlet, pounded until tender and then breaded and fried, that is a culinary staple in German-speaking countries and communities. The Americanized version of the dish is chicken-fried steak.

Wiener schnitzel means "Viennese cutlet" in German, and it is one of Austria's most traditional and representative dishes. So much so, in fact, that its definition is fiercely protected by Austrian law. It must be made of veal; when made with any other type of meat, it cannot technically be called Wiener schnitzel.

Chicken breasts are the traditional cut of meat for this dish but I find thighs are juicier and add more flavour. I've been making schnitzel for years, tweaking and perfecting my recipe, never entirely happy with the result. This is my latest version and I think it's delicious.

What is the best cut of meat for schnitzel? ›

The best beef cuts for making schnitzels are thin beef escalopes or thinly sliced boneless shoulder steak or topside. If you are slicing the meat yourself, you will need to use a meat tenderiser to ensure the meat is extra tender.

Pariser schnitzel (from German Pariser Schnitzel 'Parisian cutlet') is a schnitzel variation from French cuisine. Unlike Wiener schnitzel, it does not incorporate bread crumbs.

The best side dishes to serve with Wiener Schnitzel are french fries, roasted potatoes, onion rings, cucumber salad, German spaetzle, sautéed green beans, warm red cabbage, roasted Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, beet salad, lemon-garlic asparagus, and apple and carrot slaw.

Don't call it schnitzel and not even cutlet, because in Milan the meat is strictly veal, on the bone, two fingers high, breaded in egg and breadcrumbs and fried in clarified butter. It has only one name: “costoletta” rib, and everything else is irrelevant.

A traditional wiener schnitzel is made using a veal cutlet, pounded flat until it's 4mm thick. Other versions of schnitzel use pork, chicken or even plant-based ingredients such as seitan, but these can't rightly be described as 'wiener' ('Viennese').

The dish's name actually comes from the German word schnitt, which translates to "cut." The most popular type of meat for schnitzel is veal (wiener-schnitzel) or pork (schweine-schnitzel), but you also see varieties made with chicken (hänchen-schnitzel), or turkey (puten-schnitzel).

Traditionally, a Wiener Schnitzel is a cutlet of veal pounded thin by a meat tenderizer, then dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs (in that order), and fried until golden.

Schnitzel is most commonly made with pork, chicken or veal. But it's also made with beef and mutton. There are loads of different varieties, especially across Europe.