Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prepare the Meat
- Cut your pork loin into slices about 1¼ inch thick. Start by pounding both sides with the textured side of a meat mallet directly on the meat — no wrap — to tenderize and break down the muscle fibres. Then place between a long piece of plastic wrap that you can fold over and finish with the flat side, working from the centre outward, until about ¼ inch thick. Once you're there, remove the wrap and lightly go back over both sides with the textured side one more time — this creates small grooves in the surface that grip the flour and egg wash better, giving you a more even, adherent crust.
- Season the pork cutlets generously with salt. Let them rest for at least 15-20 minutes — this makes a real difference, don't skip it.
Set Up the Dredge
- Set up three stations: flour on one plate, breadcrumbs on another, and the egg wash in a bowl.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl, then add the lemon juice and whisk together — this cuts the eggy taste so it doesn't overpower the meat. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the chalaza (the white stringy bit attached to the yolk) for a smooth, even coating.
Dredge the Cutlets
- Dredge each cutlet through the flour, shaking off the excess.
- Dip into the egg wash, letting any excess drip off.
- Lay each cutlet into the breadcrumbs and let them adhere naturally — don't press down.
Fry
- Heat the peanut oil and clarified butter together in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat — about ¼ inch deep, no more, since the oil expands as it heats. Use a thermometer to get the oil to 350°F — this is the most accurate way to know you're ready. You can drop a breadcrumb in to get a rough idea, but it's not reliable enough to trust for consistent results. Don't put anything in that pan until you hit 350°F.
- Always lay the cutlet into the oil away from you — this directs any splatter away from your body. Once it's in the pan, immediately pick it up with tongs and hold it just off the bottom — this prevents hot spots from developing on the meat. Gently and slowly move it up and down in the oil for 10 seconds so the bubbling fat circulates underneath the schnitzel. You're lifting it just slightly out of the oil and back in.
Rest and Serve
- Transfer to a wire rack to rest — not paper towel, it keeps the crust crisp. Serve with extra lemon wedges to squeeze over.
Notes
Oil - So the idea behind this is that the schnitzel is suppose to "swim" in the oil meaning there should actually be enough oil that it will be floating. This way it doesn't touch the bottom of the pan which creates those hot spots at the bottom and everything is evenly fried. So I would actually use about 1/2 inch of oil instead of 1/4, but again, if you're not comfortable please get a deeper vessel to fry in.
Meat - Make sure it is completely thawed if using frozen before you start cooking. This may create an issue with extra water getting into the pan which could lead to an oil spill over. It also let's the meat cook evenly.