Classic Pork Schnitzel
Thin, tender pork cutlets in a light, crispy breadcrumb crust, pan-fried to a deep golden brown and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
- 6 boneless, centre-cut pork loin chops
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached recommended
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, just use a bit if using seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 cups dried plain or seasoned breadcrumbs, plus more as needed
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoons seasoning salt, omit if using seasoned bread crumbs
- Vegetable, canola, peanut or sunflower oil, for shallow frying
- Lemon slices, for serving
- Trim any excess fat from the edges of the pork chops, then use the tip of a knife to snip a few small notches along the trimmed edge — this keeps the meat from curling as it cooks. Place each chop between sheets of plastic wrap and pound firmly with a meat mallet until very thin, stopping just short of the point where the meat would tear.
- Set up three shallow dishes for breading: flour seasoned with salt and pepper in the first, whisked eggs and water in the second, and breadcrumbs mixed with seasoning salt in the third. Dredge each cutlet in the flour and shake off the excess, dip it through the egg wash, then press it into the breadcrumbs on both sides, patting gently so the coating adheres evenly with no bare patches.
- Arrange the breaded cutlets in a single layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, making sure they don't touch or overlap. Refrigerate uncovered for about an hour — this brief rest firms up the coating so it clings tightly to the meat instead of flaking off in the hot oil.
- Pour oil into a heavy, high-sided skillet to a depth of about 1/4 inch and heat over medium-high until shimmering; a pinch of breadcrumbs dropped in should sizzle and rise to the surface right away. Fry the cutlets in small batches, without crowding the pan, for roughly 3 minutes per side, until each one is a deep golden brown and cooked through, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the browning even.
- Transfer the finished schnitzel to a clean rack to drain briefly, then serve right away with lemon slices for squeezing over the top, or alongside lingonberry jam for a classic sweet-tart pairing.
Chef's Note: The secret to a great schnitzel is thinness and a light touch with the breading — pounding the pork nearly paper-thin means it cooks through in the same few minutes it takes for the crust to turn deeply golden, so the meat stays tender instead of drying out. Resting the breaded cutlets in the fridge before frying isn't optional; it sets the coating so it stays put in the hot oil rather than sliding off in clumps.
Fry in small batches and resist the urge to crowd the pan — overcrowded cutlets steam instead of crisping, and the oil temperature drops too fast to build a proper crust. If you're feeding a crowd, keep finished pieces warm and crisp on a rack in a low oven while you work through the rest, and always plate them uncovered so trapped steam doesn't soften the coating.
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