Austria
Authentic Wiener Schnitzel Recipe | Austrian Classic
Chef-tested recipe
Wiener Schnitzel is one of Austria’s most recognisable dishes. The Austrian Food Code defines Wiener Schnitzel as veal coated with flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs before being fried in fat. A pork or chicken version may be prepared using the same technique, but it is not an authentic Wiener Schnitzel. Österreichisches Lebensmittelbuch
For me, the secret is not simply making the coating crispy. The breadcrumbs should remain loose around the meat and form an uneven, lightly puffed shell.
The veal must be pounded thinly and cooked quickly. The breadcrumbs should not be pressed firmly onto the egg because a loose coating allows hot fat and steam to create the characteristic souffléed surface. Austria’s official tourism recipe also recommends frying the schnitzel in enough hot fat to move freely in the pan.
Recipe at a glance
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Chopping boardpaid link
- Meat malletpaid link
- Baking paperpaid link
- Clean kitchen paperpaid link
- Three wide shallow dishespaid link
- Forkpaid link
- Large heavy-based frying panpaid link
- Kitchen thermometerpaid link
- Wide fish spatulapaid link
- Kitchen tongspaid link
- Heat-resistant spoonpaid link
- Wire cooling rackpaid link
- Warm serving platespaid link
Ingredients
- Veal
- Veal escalopes from the leg, approximately 160 g each: 640 g
- Fine saltpaid link: 8 g
- Finely ground black pepper: 1 g
- Breading
- Plain wheat flourpaid link: 120 g
- Whole eggs: 150 g
- Fine dry breadcrumbspaid link: 180 g
- Frying
- Clarified butter: 500 g
- Garnish
- Lemons, cut into wedges: 240 g
- Flat-leaf parsley: 15 g, optional
Preparation Overview
Remove any visible skin or tough connective tissue from the veal.
Place each escalope between two sheets of baking paper and pound it evenly to approximately 4 mm thick.
Do not tear the meat or make the centre thinner than the edges.
Pat the veal dry and leave it uncovered for 5 minutes before seasoning.
Prepare three wide, shallow dishes:
- One containing the flour
- One containing the beaten eggs
- One containing the breadcrumbs
Do not add oil, milk or water to the eggs.
Heat enough clarified butter for the schnitzel to float slightly rather than sit directly against the bottom of the pan.
The frying fat should reach approximately 170–175°C before cooking begins.
Method
Prepare the veal Place one veal escalope between two sheets of baking paper. Pound gently from the centre toward the edges until approximately 4 mm thick. Repeat with the remaining escalopes. Trim any uneven or tough edges. Dry the cutlets Pat both sides of the veal thoroughly with clean kitchen paper. Place the cutlets on a clean tray. Leave them uncovered for 5 minutes to remove excess surface moisture. Prepare the breading station Place the flour in the first shallow dish. Beat the eggs gently with a fork and place them in the second dish. Place the breadcrumbs in the third dish. The eggs should be combined but not whipped until foamy. Season the veal Season both sides of each cutlet evenly with salt and black pepper. Bread the veal immediately after seasoning. Coat with flour Place one cutlet into the flour. Coat both sides completely. Lift the cutlet and shake off all loose excess flour. A heavy flour coating can separate from the meat during frying. Coat with egg Place the floured cutlet into the beaten egg. Turn it carefully so no dry flour remains visible. Lift it and allow the excess egg to drip back into the dish. Coat with breadcrumbs Lay the cutlet over the breadcrumbs. Scatter additional breadcrumbs over the top. Turn it once to coat both sides. Do not press the breadcrumbs firmly onto the meat. Transfer the breaded cutlet to a clean tray. Repeat with the remaining veal. Heat the clarified butter Place a large, wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the clarified butter. Heat it to approximately 170–175°C. Test the fat by adding a few breadcrumbs. They should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface without burning. Fry the first side Lower one or two schnitzels carefully into the hot clarified butter without overcrowding the pan. Fry for approximately 2–3 minutes. Move the pan gently in a circular motion so the hot fat washes over the coating. Carefully spoon some of the hot fat over the upper surface. The underside should become golden and the coating should begin separating slightly from the meat. Turn the schnitzel Turn each schnitzel carefully using a wide spatula or kitchen tongs. Do not pierce the meat. Fry the second side for approximately 1–2 minutes until evenly golden. Drain the schnitzel Remove the schnitzel from the pan. Place it briefly on a wire rack or clean absorbent kitchen paper. Do not stack the cooked schnitzels because trapped steam will soften the coating. Repeat with the remaining cutlets, checking the fat temperature between batches. Rest and serve Rest the schnitzels for approximately 2 minutes. Transfer them to warm plates. Garnish with lemon wedges and optional parsley. Serve immediately while the coating remains crisp.
Beginner Technique Notes
Pound the meat evenly. Thick sections may remain undercooked while thin sections become dry.
Dry the veal before coating it. Excess moisture can prevent the flour from adhering correctly.
Shake off excess flour. Only a light coating is required.
Do not press the breadcrumbs onto the meat. Loose breadcrumbs help create the traditional puffed coating.
Use enough clarified butter for the schnitzel to move freely.
Maintain the frying temperature. Fat that is too cool produces greasy schnitzel, while excessively hot fat burns the breadcrumbs before the veal cooks.
Do not overcrowd the pan.
Move the pan gently while frying to wash hot fat over the coating.
Serve immediately. Wiener Schnitzel loses its delicate texture when held for too long.
Tips and Variations
Chef Tip: Bread each cutlet immediately before frying. Breaded veal left standing for too long absorbs moisture and produces a denser crust.
Pork Variation: Use thin pork loin cutlets, but call the dish Schnitzel Wiener Art or Viennese-style pork schnitzel rather than Wiener Schnitzel.
Chicken Variation: Use thinly pounded chicken breast and cook it fully before serving.
Turkey Variation: Turkey breast can be prepared using the same breading method.
Oil and Butter Variation: Use neutral frying oil with a smaller quantity of clarified butter when frying entirely in clarified butter is not practical.
Breadcrumb Tip: Use fine, dry white breadcrumbs rather than panko. Panko produces a different, coarser coating.
Lemon Tip: Squeeze the lemon over the schnitzel immediately before eating so the coating does not become soggy.
Serving Ideas
- Best Served With
- Austrian potato salad
- Parsley potatoes
- Cucumber salad
- Mixed green salad
- Lingonberry or cranberry preserve
- Buttered rice
- Lemon wedges
- Steamed seasonal vegetables
- The classic presentation is simple: one large Wiener Schnitzel served with lemon and potato salad or parsley potatoes. Austria’s official tourism recipe also lists potato salad, parsley potatoes, rice and mixed salad as customary accompaniments. ([Austria.info][2])
Storage
Refrigeration: Store cooled schnitzel in a covered container for up to 2 days.
Freezing Cooked Schnitzel: Freeze cooled schnitzel in a single layer before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. Use within 1 month for the best texture.
Freezing Uncooked Schnitzel: Bread the veal, separate each piece with baking paper and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator before frying.
Reheating: Reheat on a wire rack in a 200°C oven for approximately 8–10 minutes until hot and crisp.
Microwave Reheating: Not recommended because it softens the breadcrumb coating.
Make Ahead: The veal may be pounded several hours ahead and refrigerated. Bread it immediately before frying.
Nutritional Value
Nutrition values are estimates. The final values depend on the veal cut, breadcrumb absorption and the amount of clarified butter retained after frying.
Allergen Notes
Contains gluten from wheat flour and breadcrumbs.
Contains egg.
Contains dairy when clarified butter is used.
Naturally nut-free when all ingredients are free from cross-contact.
Check packaged breadcrumbs for milk, soy, sesame or other allergen declarations.
This recipe is not gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, vegetarian or vegan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What meat is used for authentic Wiener Schnitzel?
Authentic Wiener Schnitzel is made with veal. The Austrian Food Code identifies it as a breaded and fried veal schnitzel. ([Österreichisches Lebensmittelbuch][1])
Can I use pork instead of veal?
Yes, but it should be described as pork schnitzel or Schnitzel Wiener Art rather than authentic Wiener Schnitzel.
How thin should the veal be?
Pound the veal evenly to approximately 4 mm thick.
Why does the breadcrumb coating separate from the meat?
A slightly separated or souffléed coating is desirable. Excessive separation may result from wet meat, heavy flouring or incorrect frying temperature.
Should I press the breadcrumbs onto the veal?
No. Lay the veal gently in the breadcrumbs and coat it without pressing firmly.
What temperature should the clarified butter reach?
Heat it to approximately 170–175°C.
Can I use panko breadcrumbs?
Panko can be used, but it creates a coarser crust and does not reproduce the traditional fine Wiener Schnitzel coating.
Why is my schnitzel greasy?
The frying fat may have been too cool, the pan may have been overcrowded or the schnitzel may have remained in the fat too long.
Can I fry several schnitzels at once?
Only when the pan is large enough to prevent the cutlets from touching. Frying in batches gives better temperature control.
Can Wiener Schnitzel be prepared ahead?
The veal can be pounded ahead, but it is best breaded and fried immediately before serving.
