Recipe for Wiener Schnitzel ➢ How to make it (2024)

Recipe for Wiener Schnitzel ➢ How to make it (1) Recipe for Wiener Schnitzel ➢ How to make it (2)

Wiener Schnitzel (a breaded and fried veal escalope)

Austrian National Tourist Office / Wolfgang Schardt

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  1. Favourite Austrian Recipes
  2. Wiener Schnitzel

The eponymous breaded and fried veal escalope wasn't actually invented in Vienna - but it surely is where they make it best.

How to make it:

Step 1:

Lay out the cutlets, remove any skin and pound until thin. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place flour and breadcrumbs into separate flat plates, beat the eggs together on a further plate using a fork.
Coat each schnitzel on both sides in flour, then draw through the beaten eggs, ensuring that no part of the schnitzel remains dry. Lastly, coat in the breadcrumbs and carefully press down the crumbs using the reverse side of the fork (this causes the crumb coating to “fluff up” better during cooking).

Step 2:

In a large pan (or 2 medium-sized pans), melt sufficient clarified butter for the schnitzel to be able to swim freely in the oil (or heat up the plant oil with 1 – 2 tbsp of clarified butter or butter).
Only place the schnitzel in the pan when the fat is so hot that it hisses and bubbles up if some breadcrumbs or a small piece of butter is added to it.
Depending on the thickness and the type of meat, fry for 2 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Turn using a spatula (do not pierce the coating!) and fry on the other side until it is of similar colour.

Step 3:

Remove the crispy schnitzel and place on kitchen paper to dry off. Dab carefully. Arrange the schnitzel on the plate and garnish with slices of lemon before serving.
Serve with parsley potatoes, rice, potato salad or mixed salad.

Cooking time: depending on the thickness and the meat: 4 – 8 minutes

Watch our Schnitzel Recipe Video Here...

The Wiener Schnitzel is Vienna's most famous dish and well known around the world. But is it just a tourist treat these days or do Austrians still enjoy it, too? Find out! #realAustria

  • History of the Schnitzel
  • High-quality, sustainable food
  • Best of Wiener Schnitzel Restaurants in Vienna
  • 8 Wiener Schnitzel Tipps in Austria

The Wiener Schnitzel is indeed the most popular dish at the Sunday lunch table of Austrian families or when visiting a Viennese restaurant. With its golden-yellow breading, it not only cuts a good figure on the plate, but tastes tender, juicy and crispy at the same time.

Garnished with parsley potatoes or potato salad, cranberries and a lemon slice, the Wiener Schnitzel is a feast for the eyes. This explains why it has spread rapidly to all Austrian provinces. In the city, at the lake, on the mountain and in the far corners of the country, the Schnitzel is well known. And although the reputation of its predecessor was not impeccable, it is the favourite dish of most Austrians.

The true origin of the Wiener Schnitzel has become a matter of vigorous debate between culinary historians. One thing, however, is absolutely certain: the Wiener Schnitzel is truly cosmopolitan.

The earliest trails lead to Spain, where the Moors were coating meat with breadcrumbs during the Middle Ages. The Jewish community in Constantinople reportedly had a dish similar to the Wiener Schnitzel in the 12th century, too. So, whether the legend surrounding the import of the “Cotoletta Milanese” from Italy to Austria is true or merely a nice story makes little difference at the end of the day. As long as the schnitzel is tender and crispy!

Recipe for Wiener Schnitzel ➢ How to make it (3)

Wiener Schnitzel, Plachutta Restaurant

Oew Tokyo

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Golden Meal

The predecessor of the Viennese Schnitzel is one of those dishes that originally served representative purposes. In order to demonstrate a sophisticated lifestyle, the Venetians in the Renaissance covered dishes - especially confectionery - with gold leaf. When the Catholic Church wanted to put a stop on the excesses in 1514 and prohibited the gilding of food by law, Italian cooks turned to an older, alternative preparation method: golden yellow breading.

The meat dish allegedly made its way to Austria around 1857, through the Austrian Field Marshal Radetzky. Legend has it that he took a liking to "Cotoletta a la milanese" and brought the recipe to the Danube in person. However, the first known mention of Wiener Schnitzel in Austrian cuisine dates back to 1831.

Recipe for Wiener Schnitzel ➢ How to make it (4)

Plachutta's original Viennese veal schnitzel

Austrian National Tourist Office / Tokio

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Wow-Effect

Original Wiener Schnitzel

When ordering a schnitzel in Austria, it's worth noting that not every schnitzel can be called a Wiener Schnitzel. 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. The breadcrumbs are not pressed down so that they souffle when they are baked. This is how you get that "Wow! It's a real Wiener Schnitzel!" effect.

"A good butcher loves animals. It's all about respect. Towards the animal, towards nature, towards the farmer and towards the meat. My grandpa and my father taught me to treat animals with care."

Recipe for Wiener Schnitzel ➢ How to make it (5)

Robert Buchberger at work

Ingo Pertramer

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Robert Buchberger

Recipe for Wiener Schnitzel ➢ How to make it (6)

How much meat do we eat in Austria?

Robert Buchberger at the grill

Ingo Pertramer

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  • 315.664 t of pork

    35,4 kg / 78 lb per person

  • 111.246 t of poultry

    12,5 kg / 27,5 lb per person

  • 96.850 t of beef and veal

    10,9 kg / 24 lb per person

Where does the meat that is served as schnitzel actually come from? In Austria, farmers, producers and chefs often rely on tradition and the knowledge of their ancestors. They are united by a vision: to refine high-quality, sustainable food and traditional recipes with innovative approaches.

Josef Göltl, a farmer of Mangalitza and Turopolje pigs on Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland, has turned his farm all organic and chose animals that could live outdoors all year round. Philip Wind, a farmer and master butcher, is already the second generation of his family to live and work organically in the Lungau region of Salzburg. He loves to share his lifestyle with his clients. Or let's take the two-star chef Heinz Reitbauer at the Steirereck restaurant in Vienna. He is not satisfied with just finding a good ingredient for a new dish; he wants to "understand" the roots of taste.

Source: 2020, Statistik Austria

The Best Restaurants for Wiener Schnitzel in Vienna

  • Gasthaus zu den 3 Hacken

    The tavern with its rustic rooms is one of the oldest of its kinds in the city, a popular place to visit. In the Gasthaus zu den 3 Hacken, real Viennese inn culture comes to life.

    Learn more

  • Zum Schwarzen Kameel

    For 400 years, this noble tavern has combined Viennese hospitality with lifestyle. You get an excellent Wiener Schnitzel here, but it is also a popular meeting place right in the heart of Vienna's city centre.

    Learn more

  • Gmoakeller

    The Gmoakeller is a Viennese Beisl - a classic pub serving Viennese cuisine. Here, dishes are prepared at a high standard, and the Wiener Schnitzel is considered a cultural heritage.

    Learn more

  • Figlmüller

    The Wiener Schnitzel has found its home in the headquarters of the Figlmüller, located behind St. Stephan's Cathedral. That's what the website says. Add a glass of wine and the world looks a lot brighter immediately.

    Learn more

  • Plachuttas Gasthaus zur Oper

    The Plachutta family serves its guests an excell ent Wiener Schnitzel in a modern ambience at their inn, which is located close to the Vienna State Opera house.

    Learn more

  • Pichlmaiers zum Herkner

    After enjoying a Wiener Schnitzel at the Beisl (pub) "Zum Herkner" in the district of Hernals in Vienna's outskirts, it is worth taking a walk in the surrounding vineyards.

    Learn more

8 Top Wiener Schnitzel Restaurants in Austria

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Recipe for Wiener Schnitzel ➢ How to make it (2024)

FAQs

What cut of meat is best for Wiener Schnitzel? ›

A traditional wiener schnitzel is made using a veal cutlet, pounded flat until it's 4mm thick.

What is a Wiener Schnitzel traditionally made of? ›

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).

What kind of oil do you use for Wiener Schnitzel? ›

In good company

The frying itself is another aspect of the artfulness that characterises authentic Wiener Schnitzel. We use the finest butter, rich lard or neutral vegetable oil – your choice – as a delicious hot bath that gives the Schnitzel its even, golden colour.

What is the difference between schnitzel and Wiener Schnitzel? ›

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.

Should schnitzel have puff or no puff? ›

Good wiener schnitzel has “the puff,” where the breading separates from the meat to form an ultra-crispy coating. This won't work with coarse breadcrumbs, and it requires enough oil or fat for the cutlets to float.

What do you eat with Wiener Schnitzel? ›

The dish was traditionally served in Austria covered in a mushroom or mustard based sauce, with butterhead lettuce tossed with a sweetened vinaigrette dressing, optionally with chopped chives or onions, potato salad, cucumber salad, or parsley potatoes. In recent times french fries and rice have become more common.

What does schnitzel mean in German? ›

In Germany, the term Schnitzel means cutlets in general, not just breaded, fried ones.

What is the Italian version of Wiener Schnitzel? ›

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.

What is Wiener Schnitzel to English? ›

Wiener Schnitzel (Viennese schnitzel in German, where Schnitzel means a cutlet without bones) is a traditional Austrian dish and is a popular part of Viennese and Austrian cuisine, consisting of a thin slice of veal coated in breadcrumbs and fried.

Why do people put lemon on schnitzel? ›

Schnitzel is not typically highly seasoned, relying instead on bold toppings such as fresh lemon wedges, mushroom sauce, or cream sauce to add a boost of flavor.

Is Wiener Schnitzel fried in butter? ›

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.

Do you cook schnitzel in olive oil or vegetable oil? ›

If the oil is not hot enough, the chicken will absorb too much oil and give you soggy, oily schnitzel. I use quality extra virgin olive oil, which has a high enough smoke point to fry the schnitzel. You can use another healthy frying oil of your choice.

What is the best meat for Wiener Schnitzel? ›

Wiener schnitzel can only be made with veal. Schweineschnitzel uses pork and is traditionally made with pork chops in Germany (in the U.S., pork tenderloin is common). Schnitzel made with chicken breasts is called hähnchenschnitzel, and it's also a favorite in Israel.

What do Americans call schnitzel? ›

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.

What is traditionally served with schnitzel? ›

In Germany, Schnitzel is most commonly served with any of the following: French fries. Spätzle and gravy. German Potato Salad.

What cut of beef is best 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.

What kind of meat does wienerschnitzel use? ›

Because of course a Wienerschnitzel isn't a kind of hot dog — Wiener doesn't mean “hot dog;” it means “from Vienna” — it's a thin, breaded, fried cutlet traditionally made from veal.

What is a substitute for veal in Wiener Schnitzel? ›

Boneless pork chops can also be substituted for veal and taste excellent!

What cut of veal is used for schnitzel? ›

For Wienerschnitzel, it has to be veal and a boneless veal chop is almost always used. It is possible to find thinly sliced, boneless chops, either pork or veal, that seem like a good choice.

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