Austrian Main Courses: Wiener Schnitzel

Ingredients (per person)

1 schnitzel (veal or - less authentic - pork)
egg, flour, breadcrumbs (for the breading)
butter
potatoes
1 slice of lemon
cranberry sauce
some parsley

What Wiener Schnitzel is

Wiener Schnitzel is without doubt the national meal of Austria. Legend has it that it is derived from medieval dishes that developed from the habit of rich Byzantine merchants to put thin slices of gold on their meat. When Venetian competitors tried to copy this habit, the church banned it as too decadent.

To compensate for the loss of "gold", breading was used instead. This gave rise to "Piccata Milanese", a dish similar to Wiener Schnitzel in Milan. During the revolution against Austrian rule in 1848, Field Marshall Radetzky did not only succeed in suppressing the revolutionary forces, but also fell in love with this dish. After his victorious return to Vienna, he introduced his new favourite meal to Austria, where it was slightly transformed into today's Wiener Schnitzel.

It is so popular even today, that Germans refer to us Austrians as "Schnitzelfresser" ("Schnitzel munchers"). By the way, the term "Wiener Schnitzel" is protected in Austria and a schnitzel declared that way has to be made from veal. If it is pork (much cheaper and much more common), it has to be called "Schnitzel a la Wien" ("Schnitzel nach Wiener Art") or otherwise indicated that it is not made of veal.

How to prepare Wiener Schnitzel

Relatively easy: Take the meat and use a wooden hammer to "punch" it tender and to the right thickness (less than one centimetre). Prepare three plates: One with beaten egg, one with flour, one with breadcrumbs spread on it.

Dip the schnitzel in the flour, egg and breadcrumbs respectively and put it straight into a pan with hot butter. Fry it until golden-brown. In the meantime, boil peeled potatoes. Wield them in butter and chopped parsley. Serve the schnitzel with potatoes, a slice of lemon and some cranberry sauce.

More Austrian Recipes

Cooking Measures Conversion Tool

Starters: Knoblauchcreme Soup - Wiener Suppentopf - Kürbiscreme Soup - Tomato Soup

Main Courses: Beuschl - Wiener Schnitzel - Kaspressknödel - Hasenpfeffer Venison - Goulash - Tiroler Knödel - Erdäpfellaibchen - Schwammerlgoulash

Desserts & Sweet Meals: Kaiserschmarrn - Topfenpalatschinken pancakes - Topfengrießknödel - Potato dough for Mohn- and Nussnudeln - Pofesen - Apple Strudel - Topfenschmarrn - Topfenstrudel - Wuchteln - Germknödel - Reisauflauf

Bread & Snacks: Bread base - Liptauer cheese - Erdäpfelkas - Obatzter

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