Wienerschnitzel

Fried breaded veal cutlets served with the traditional lemon wedges and parsley

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City/Region: Vienna

Time Period: 1824

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Breaded and fried meat has been around for a very long time in many places, but it wasn’t until 1893 that we get the first mention of the word wienerschnitzel. Then in the early 20th century, the Austrian culinary scene decided to champion this term to refer to a veal cutlet that is made into a schnitzel, and restaurants in Vienna began specializing in schnitzel.

This recipe predates the term wienerschnitzel, and unlike modern versions it isn’t dredged in flour first. This makes it so that the breading doesn’t puff away from the meat, but the flavor is rich and delicious, just like I remember from my trip to Vienna. If you don’t like veal or don’t want to use it, you can use pork or chicken. It won’t technically be wienerschnitzel, but nobody’s going to judge you. You can also use another fat instead of the clarified butter, but butter gives the best flavor.

“Thin slices are cut from coarse raw meat, pounded well and seasoned with salt, sprinkle pepper, then add 1 teaspoon of fine herbs and parsley, lemon zest and warm butter, mix in 1 egg, turn the Schnitzel in it, breaded with breadcrumbs, fry in hot butter on both sides for 2 minutes in a pan, basted with lemon juice and served with a spicy sauce. ”

— Useful Book for the Kitchen When Preparing Meals by August Erdmann Lehmann, 1824

“You put a lemon wedge with every schnitzel and some green parsley on the dish.”

— Austrian Cuisine, 1900

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Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 veal cutlets
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon minced herbs (whatever you like) and parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• Plenty of fine breadcrumbs
• Clarified butter or other oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, for garnish
• Parsley, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Place the cutlets between two layers of parchment or plastic wrap. Use a mallet or meat tenderizer to pound them out until they are a little bit thinner than your pinky. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper on both sides and rub it in.
2. In a wide bowl, gently beat the egg just until it’s smooth. Mix in the herbs, lemon zest, and melted butter.
3. Dip the cutlets into the egg and shake off any excess. Dredge them in the breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs in to make them adhere.
4. In a large pan, heat the clarified butter to about 350°F (180°C). You want enough fat so that the cutlets can float a bit, but you don’t need enough to deep fry.
5. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan (I did one at a time), fry the cutlets for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure they don't stick to the pan. You can gently rock the pan back and forth to make sure that the schnitzel stays floating in the fat. When the cutlet is golden brown, flip it over and cook for another couple of minutes, or until it’s golden brown all over.
6. Take the schnitzel out of the pan and set it aside to drain on a wire rack or on some paper towels. Fry up the rest of the cutlets.
7. Plate the wienerschnitzel with some lemon wedges and a sprig of parsley, and serve it forth.

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