You either love them or hate them.

My daughter and my best friend actually hate them…almost as much as they hate coconut.

These poor girls…they don’t know what they’re missing…

If only they could try one bite of very good Jägerschnitzel, they might change their minds.

Jagerschnitzel, which translates to “hunter’s schnitzel,” was actually one of my favorite dishes to order whenever we ate any restaurant in Germany…

Who could ask for anything more than a perfectly thin “cutlet” of meat served with a rich, creamy mushroom gravy.

This dish was originally designed as a “manly” meal…made with venison or wild boar backstrap and mushrooms foraged from the woods nearby.

And trust me, my man is an avid hunter…and he totally lovces it go out and forage for fresh mushrooms from Sprouts or Whole Foods to make him this…especially after a long day deer hunting or fishing…(so much for being “politically correct, right…it’s a learning curve…bear with me…not about to give up on eating meat quite so quickly…baby steps)…

The Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork chops
• ½ yellow onion, chopped
• 1# bacon
• 1# mushrooms
• 1C red wine or sherry
• 2C beef stock
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1C breadcrumbs
• 4Tbsp butter
• Flour
• Olive Oil
• 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream

Prep the Meat…’Pound each pork chop with a meat mallet until about ¼” thickness. Season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.

Dredge

Set up your work station…

1. Cookie sheet for unbreaded pork chops
2. Bowl of flour
3. Bowl of raw eggs
4. Bowl of breadcrumbs
5. Cookie sheet for breaded pork chops

And…gee…

…by this time, we should all this by heart…maybe I’ll eventually be able to cook without using a recipe after all…now, say it with me…

“Dredge the pork in the flour, dip in the lightly beaten eggs, and coat in the bread crumbs. Set the breaded food aside.”

Cook What Puts the “Jaeger” in Jaegerschnitzel

1. Cook the bacon until it just begins to get crispy, about five minutes. Set aside.
2. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon.
3. Now sauté the mushrooms and onions about five minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned….adding more olive oil if needed.
4. Use a slotted spoon to remove the mushrooms and onions. Set aside.

Cook the Meat

1. Add 2Tbsp olive oil to the pan that you cooked everything else in…enough oil that you end up having a very thin, even layer of bacon fat and oil on the bottom of the pan.
2. Add the breaded pork cutlets to the pan.
3. Cook 3min per side, until the pork chops become lightly browned and cooked through. Remember to avoid overcrowding the food, cooking it in batches and adding more oil between each batch if necessary.
4. Put your meat on a cooling rack placed on a foil-lined cookie sheet…remember from earlier post?!)…and keep warm in the oven while you’re making the gravy.

Make the Gravy...(Okay, let’s be honest…making a gravy or roux is one thing that I may never quite be able to do myself…I always manage to burn it and make one big clump of whatever-the-heck-that-stuff-is…thank God that my husband likes to help in times of crisis like this…he’s much rather help than have to eat unrecognizable food matter, right?!)

• 1. Add butter and flour to the pan over medium heat. Whisk to combine.
  2. Cook for about three minutes until the mixture turns a light brown color.
  3. Then, gradually begin whisking in the beef stock…(or if Mom and them aren’tt around, use wine or sherry instead and use this as an excuse to drink the entire rest of the bottle like I do?!)….
  4. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking frequently, until it reaches the desired consistency..
  5. Add cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Finish the Dish…Add the cooked mushrooms, bacon, and onions back to the pan with the roux, gravy, or whatever you wanna call it.  Season with black pepper to taste.

You can either go ahead and put the pork chops back into the pan at this point, or leave the pork chops alone so that people can decide if they want the sauce or not…

After all, there are some crazy people out there—like my daugher and my best friend—that actually don’t like mushrooms, or coconut, or either.

Let’s pray for them.