Question 1

What is a schnitzel?

Accepted Answer

The word schnitzel comes from the German word schnitt, which means “to cut” or “to slice.” Schnitzel refers to the cooking method of pounding a cut of meat thinly. Then, that cutlet is breaded and fried. Schnitzels originated from Austria and they have a German influence.

Question 2

What’s the Difference Between a WienerSchnitzel and Just a Schnitzel?

Accepted Answer

You may think that a “wiener” is referring to a hot dog. In this case, it’s not! “Wiener” translates to “from Vienna.”  That’s why a Wiener Schnitzel has the name - schnitzels come from Austria!

However, a schnitzel itself can have pretty much any kind of thin meat cutlet used! For example, you can use chicken breast, such as in my Lemon and Thyme Chicken Schnitzel recipe. A chicken schnitzel is referred to as a Hänchen-Schnitzel.

Other cuts of meat that are used to make a schnitzel include:

Pork, Schweine-Schnitzel or the “German schnitzel”

Turkey, Puten-schnitzel

With that said, a wienerschnitzel MUST be use veal for its protein. Believe it or not, the term is actually protected by Austrian law, so to call  particular must be made of veal, and this definition is even protected by Austrian and German law!

You can also have other variations of schnitzels, such as:

Jägerschnitzel, also known as “Hunter’s schnitzel,” is topped with a creamy brown mushroom sauce

Rahmschnitzel, topped with a creamy gravy

Zigeunerschnitzel, also known as “Gypsy schnitzel,” is a bell pepper schnitzel.

Question 3

What Cut of veal Should I use For Veal schnitzel?

Accepted Answer

The cut of veal that’s perfect to make this schnitzel is veal scallopini. This cut of veal comes from the leg. Usually, butchers will slice it to order and pound the meat thinly for you when you go purchase it. All you’ll need to do when you’re ready to cook is to bread and fry!

Question 4

How Do I Know the veal is Cooked?

Accepted Answer

If you’re like me and you’re actually more familiar with the chicken schnitzel, then you know how diligent you have to be when checking the doneness of the chicken. In my opinion, if you’re pressed for time, I think going for the veal schnitzel is the way to go! To be totally honest, you really won’t have to worry about the veal being cooked here because the meat is so thin, by the time the breadcrumbs are browned, the meat will definitely be cooked. What you should worry about, is overcooking the meat so make sure you keep an eye on the oil temperature.

Question 5

HOW DO I KNOW THE OIL IS READY TO FRY?

Accepted Answer

One test you can do is to throw a few pieces of breadcrumbs in the oil. If they are floating at the surface and are slowly turning golden brown, then the oil should be ready. However, the oil is too hot if the bread crumbs are turning brown or become dark too quickly.

To bring your oil down to the correct temperature, you can reduce the heat of the stove. Alternatively, you can add more oil to the pan to regulate and bring down the oil temperature. You want to aim for a temperature range of 350 F to 375 F for shallow frying. Of course, the test still matters because your cooking utensil and its heat retention really helps decide which oil temperature is best for your setting.

On the other hand, if your oil is too cold, continue to heat gently until it reaches the desired range. Use an instant-read thermometer or repeat the bread crumb test to ensure you’ve got the perfect frying temperature.

Question 6

Can I use panko Breadcrumbs for Wiener Schnitzel?

Accepted Answer

As I mention in my free motivational guide to explore your potential in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!!, I always encourage you to use what you have in your fridge or cupboard before you go out and buy something new if there’s a feasible substitution. While it may not be authentic for you to use Panko breadcrumbs for this authentic wienerschnitzel recipe, if that’s what you have, then go ahead! I usually choose Panko breadcrumbs over regular breadcrumbs for my recipes since I do love the texture and extra crunch Panko provides. However, if you’re going to claim that your veal schnitzel with Panko breadcrumbs is an authentic recipe… I would retract that statement! Otherwise, there’s nothing stopping you from using those!

Question 7

Can I make Wiener Schnitzel Ahead of Time?

Accepted Answer

I really would not suggest that you cook your schnitzel in advance! This will only be at its best fresh. The meat will be tender inside and the breadcrumb coating on the outside will be crispy and not turn soggy. Reheating a Wienerschnitzel is probably not what the original inventors of the recipe had intended!

If you’re going to make Wienerschnitzel for a crowd and want to be ahead of the game by doing some prep, what you can do is pre-bread the veal and  All you have to do is heat the oil and fry when you’re ready to eat! I do this quite often so I’ve got prepped breaded chicken.

You can even freeze your breaded chicken in a freezer-friendly ziploc bag so it doesn’t get freezer-burned. You can keep frozen breaded cutlets for 3 to 4 months. Also, you don’t have to defrost your breaded chicken schnitzel overnight. While it’s best to do it, you don’t have to because if you’re cooking the chicken from frozen, that means the breadcrumbs will cook faster than the frozen chicken inside. To prevent the chicken from staying raw and to prevent the breadcrumbs from becoming too brown, you’ll have to play with the heat of your oil. If you want to avoid this headache, defrosting for a couple of hours in the fridge should do the trick!

Why You’ll Love This Traditional Veal Schnitzel Recipe!

Equipment Needed to Make This Wiener Schnitzel Recipe

Ingredients for Authentic Austrian Schnitzel

How to Make Authentic Austrian Schnitzel

Tips for a Crispy and Juicy Veal Schnitzel

Serving Suggestions

Other Tasty Fried Recipes!