The Bavarian Treat: Schnitzel, Explained

Bavarian Schnitzel is a famous Germanic dish, usually made with pork, unlike the Viennese schnitzel, which is made with veal. The meat is beaten thinly and coated in breadcrumbs before being fried to a golden brown. It is often served with French fries, potato salad, and beer.

What is Bavarian Schnitzel?

Bavarian schnitzel is a type of schnitzel, a Germanic food that is possibly one of the most famous of all Germanic dishes. Schnitzel is a thin slice of meat, usually thinned by pounding with a meat tenderiser, and then breaded and fried.

While the Viennese version, Wiener Schnitzel, is made with veal, Bavarian schnitzel is usually made with pork. The meat is coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and fried in butter, with the trick to a great schnitzel being to pound the meat very thin, as this is what tenderises it and makes it tasty and easy to eat.

In Bavaria, schnitzels are cooked in a lot of butter, so much so that they float in the pan. There are many variations on the dish, with some restaurants in Munich offering a whole separate schnitzel menu. One variation is the Munich-style schnitzel, which is spread with horseradish and Bavarian sweet mustard before being crumbed and fried. Another is the Zigeuner or Gypsy schnitzel, which is served with a sauce containing tomatoes, bell peppers and onion slices.

Schnitzel is traditionally served with French fries (pommes) or a Bavarian potato salad (kartoffelsalat), and washed down with beer.

How to make Bavarian Schnitzel

Bavarian schnitzel is a famous Germanic dish, usually made with pork. Schnitzel is a thin slice of meat, usually thinned by pounding with a meat tenderiser, and then breaded and fried.

Ingredients

• Boneless pork steaks or chops
• Salt and pepper
• Flour
• Eggs
• Breadcrumbs
• Oil for frying (use a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point)

Method

• Place the pork chops between two sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper and pound them until just 1/4 inch thick with the flat side of a meat tenderiser or rolling pin.
• Lightly season both sides with salt and pepper.
• Place the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls.
• Dip the chops in the flour, the egg, and the breadcrumbs, coating both sides and all edges at each stage.
• Don't press the breadcrumbs into the meat. Gently shake off any excess.
• Fry the schnitzel immediately. Don't let it sit in the coating or it won't be as crispy. Use enough oil so that the schnitzel is covered when frying.
• Fry the schnitzel for about 2-3 minutes on both sides until a deep golden brown.
• Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
• Serve immediately with slices of fresh lemon and parsley sprigs.

Tips

• Schnitzel is best cooked at high heat for a short period of time to get a perfect crispy crust without leaving the middle of the meat raw.
• Make sure the oil is hot enough (around 330ºF) before frying. If it's too hot, the crust will burn before the meat is done. If it isn't hot enough, you'll end up with a soggy coating.
• Schnitzel is traditionally served with French fries, Spätzle, or German potato salad and a fresh leafy green salad.

What to serve with Bavarian Schnitzel

Bavarian schnitzel is a famous Germanic dish, traditionally made with thinly beaten pork, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried to golden-brown perfection. It is often served with French fries (pommes) or a traditional Bavarian potato salad (kartoffelsalat).

Traditional Sides

• French fries (pommes)
• Bavarian potato salad (kartoffelsalat)
• Beer

Other Sides

• Creamy German cucumber salad
• Mashed or roasted potatoes
• Sauerkraut
• Rotkohl
• Roasted or steamed vegetables
• Lemon wedges
• Parsley sprigs
• Baked potato wedges
• Baked beans
• Broccoli salad
• Classic potato salad
• Macaroni salad
• Creamy coleslaw
• Spätzle
• Leafy green salad

Variations of Schnitzel

If you're looking for some variety, you can try different sauces and toppings with your schnitzel. Here are some popular variations:

• Jägerschnitzel ("hunter schnitzel") – served with mushroom gravy
• Zigeunerschnitzel ("gypsy schnitzel") – served with a zesty bell pepper sauce
• Rahmschnitzel ("cream schnitzel") – served with a creamy Rahm sauce

The history of Bavarian Schnitzel

Bavarian Schnitzel, or Schweineschnitzel, is a German dish of thinly pounded pork, coated in breadcrumbs and fried to a golden-brown perfection. It is one of the most famous Germanic foods and is usually served with French fries, German potato salad, and a cold beer.

History

The act of making schnitzel can be traced back to the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century. Legend has it that Kaiser Basileios I, in the late 800s AD, liked his meat covered in sheets of gold. This practice soon became popular with the wealthy, but due to its high cost, breadcrumbs were used as a cheaper alternative. Using breadcrumbs to coat meat quickly became a widely adopted preparation method.

In the 1800s, an Austrian general was served a dish of breadcrumb-coated veal cutlets while in Milan. He brought the idea back to the Austrian Kaiser, and it was in Vienna that Wiener Schnitzel was perfected and rose to fame. Wiener Schnitzel must be made with veal, whereas German Schnitzel, or Schweineschnitzel, is made with pork.

How does Bavarian Schnitzel differ from Wiener Schnitzel?

Bavarian schnitzel and Wiener schnitzel differ in the type of meat used. Wiener schnitzel is made from veal, whereas Bavarian schnitzel is made from pork.

"Wiener schnitzel" is a geographically protected term in Germany and Austria, and the dish can only be made with veal. However, in Bavaria, pork is the preferred meat for schnitzel.

Schnitzel is made by pounding meat very thinly, coating it in breadcrumbs, and frying it. The meat is typically seasoned with salt and pepper and can be spread with condiments such as horseradish and mustard before frying. The trick to a great schnitzel is to use enough oil for the schnitzel to "swim" in the pan.

Both types of schnitzel can be served with French fries, potato salad, and a slice of lemon.

Frequently asked questions