About Wiener Schnitzel

Wiener schnitzel is a traditional veal based fried dish of Austria. It is usually made from boneless veal which is thinned out with the help of a mallet and deep-fried after being coated with bread crumbs. The method of preparation is similar to that of escalopes. It is considered to be a classic food of Vienna and served with lemon wedges and potato salad. Parsley and butter along with potatoes are also popular accompaniments of the fried dish.

The name of the dish is protected by law and cannot be utilized when it is prepared with other varieties of meat. Pork is commonly used for the preparation nowadays and the dish is known as 'Wiener Schnitzel vom Schwein' in Austria.

The recipe varies from region to region with 'Salzburger Schnitzel' being one of the most famous dishes available in the Western part of the country.

Origin of Wiener Schnitzel Recipe

There are a number of theories about the origin of the dish. Some food historians claim that the recipe had originated in Milan, Italy as 'cotoletta alla Milanese' and was later introduced to Austria. Others argue that it had been invented in Vienna between the 15^th and 16^th centuries. The Battle of Vienna was responsible for popularizing the dish in the region according to another theory while a fourth one claims that it had been introduced to the city by Field Marshal Radetzky.

The term has been mentioned in various publications of Austria since 1845.

Wiener Schnitzel Recipe: Ingredients and Preparation Overview

The dish is a simple veal cutlet and requires flour, eggs and bread crumbs as the primary ingredients. The thin veal slices need to be pounded properly with each cutlet being dunked in flour, egg mixture and bread crumbs in that order. A combination of peanut and vegetable oil is considered to be the ideal frying medium although the age old recipes recommend using lard. Salt and pepper are the only seasonings allowed and the properly fried cutlet does not have the bread crumb-flour coating sticking to it and a knife can pass easily between the meat and the coat.

Wiener Schnitzel Variations

Country Fried Steak- A piece of beef steak coated with batter and deep-fried. This is a traditional Southern style comfort food in America which may have been introduced by the Austrian and German immigrants.
Parmo- A popular take-out food item in UK, it is made with breaded chicken or pork cutlet instead of veal.
Escalope milanesa- A similar Spanish dish, it is prepared with pork or beef and served with French fries and lemon wedges.
Schnitzel- It is served topped with fried eggs in Namibia which had been a German colony for years.
Shenitsel- This is an Iranian dish made with the chicken breast which is spicier and crisper than the original Austrian dish.
Mosaic şniţel- A common Romanian dish prepared with two different varieties of meat cutlets with a vegetable filling in between.

Trivia

Wienerschnitzel is the name of a popular food chain in USA. However, it does not serve Wiener schnitzel which is a common item sold in German restaurants across the nation.