Pork Schnitzel with German Potato Salad

There’s an ironclad rule for schnitzel in Austria — if it’s made with veal, it’s Wiener schnitzel, but if it’s made with pork, as is the case with this recipe, the thinly pounded, breaded, and fried meat is simply called “schnitzel.” Schnitzel is sometimes deep-fried, but we found that shallow-frying, which is easier to do at home, yields a perfectly crispy cutlet. Fresh thyme in the breading brings a subtle herbal note to these schnitzel, and a finishing sprinkle of salt just after they come out of the pan adds a pleasant pop of salinity to each bite. Bacon, fried crisp and then crumbled, enriches the accompanying bright, tangy potato salad, which can be served warm or at room temperature. 

Frequently asked questions 

What is schnitzel? 

Schnitzel is a general term for a slice of meat that is pounded until very thin, breaded, and fried. It’s a popular dish in Germany and Austria and is often accompanied by a starchy side like spaetzle or German potato salad. 

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Pork loin chops have a thin, tough layer of connective tissue called silver skin located between the fat and the meat. Remove it and the fat from the chops before pounding the chops to help ensure that the schnitzel can be pounded thinly and won’t shrink back or curl during cooking.

Technique

To pound the cutlets, work with one cutlet at a time, and place the cutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper, or slip the meat into a gallon-size heavy-duty ziplock plastic bag. Pound the cutlet until thin using a meat mallet, the bottom of a heavy skillet, or a rolling pin. Aim for no more than 1/4-inch thickness: The goal is a piece of meat with a large, flat surface area.

The method for breading these schnitzel, known as Standard Breading Procedure, calls for dredging the pounded pork chops in flour, followed by dunking them in beaten egg (which adheres to the flour), and finally coating with breading (which clings to the egg). These steps will ensure the crust clings nicely to the meat after frying. 

Make ahead 

The potato salad can be made several days ahead of time; it will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can pound the meat for the schnitzel in advance and store the pounded cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper in the fridge for up to two days. Schnitzel can be made ahead and reheated at 350°F in an oven on a wire rack, or in an air fryer, until warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes.

Suggested pairing

A top-notch, dry German Riesling, such as Schloss Lieser-Thomas Haag Lieserer Niederberg Helden Grosses Gewächs