Tag: pork

Sweet, Sweet Sunday

Munich Schnitzel

Christy
pork and sausage on the grill
Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

Münchner Schnitzel…or Munich schnitzel) for those of us who took German in school or lived there and still can’t umlaut…is a type of schnitzel that that is prepared with horseradish and/or mustard before brading.

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Sweet, Sweet Sunday

Weiner Schnitzel

Christy

Authentic Wiener Schnitzel Recipe

Perhaps the best known schnitzel and the one that first comes to mind whenever the topic of schnitzel comes up is weiner schnitzel.

There is nothing like a perfectly breaded, perfectly fried, and perfectly crispy wiener schnitzel, complete with a juicy interior. I have eaten them many, many times.

 

 

But the truth is that I’ve never been able to cook a wiener schnitzel nearly as the ones that I ate whenever we were stationed in Germany.

You would think that this would be so easy…especially since the recipe is so darn simple…

But getting that perfectly breaded, perfectly fried, and perfectly crispy wiener schnitzel all boils down to technique.

SInce we are talking about cooking methods, or techniques, let’s take a look at how to supposedly make wiener schnitzel that honestly doesn’t taste like cafeteria food.

The Meat

“Wiener Schnitzel” is actually a geographically protected term in Germany and Austria and can only be made with veal.

If what you yourself would call Weiner Schnitzel actually isn’t made from veal, but some other type of meat—such as pork loin or chicken—cooked in the same style…it should technically be called “Schnitzel Wiener Art,” not wiener schnitzel.

Remember that regardless which type meat you choose to make your wiener schnitzel, or any other simple dish like this, it is especially important that you choose quality ingredients.

And regardless what type of meat you decide to use, the meat must be very thin.

It is important that you meat be thin because you will frying it at high heat for a short period of time, and you want to be sure to get that perfect crispy crust without leaving the middle of the meat raw.

Pounding your meat will not only make your cut of meat tender, it will also tenderizes it.

Getting your cut of meat thin enough to make wiener schnitzel can be done with the help of a meat mallet.

To do this, lay your cutlet between two pieces of  Saran Wrap. Then pound the meat with  the flat side of a meat tenderizer, an empty wine bottle, or a small pot until it is about 1/4″ thick.

Once your meat is thin enough, lightly season both sides with salt and pepper.

 

 

 

Breading

To make four wiener schnitzel, you will need the following ingredients… 

  •  1/2C flour
  • 1tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4C breadcrumbs

First pour about 1/4″ of oil into a frying pan and start heating your oil.

You should not let the meat sit once breaded. Otherwise your schnitzel will not turn out as crispy.

Now, just like when we have been breading any of the other foods so far, lay out your work station, which should consist of…

  • a cookie sheet for your uncooked meat
  • three bowls for your breading “stuff”—a bowl for your flour, a bowl for your eggs, and a third bowl for breadcrumbs
  • another cookie sheet for your breaded meat

Once you have your work station set up, dip the chops in the flour, the egg, and the breadcrumbs, making sure to coat both sides and all edges with each ingredient.

When you are dipping your meat into the breadcrumbs, be careful not to press the breadcrumbs into the meat.

 

 

 

Cooking

You want to start cooking the schnitzel as soon as you get it breaded. If you wait, the schnitzel will not turn out as crispy.

First preheat your oven and place a cookie sheet in the oven. As the schnitzel are fried, you will be putting the cooked ones on this tray while you finish cooking the rest of them.

Now before adding your meat to the skillet, check to make sure that your oil is hot enough.

Your oil should be at a temperature of about 325°F to 350°F. If the oil is too hot, the crust will burn before the meat is done. If the oil is not hot enough, the crust will be soggy.

Once you know that your oil is hot enough, start placing cutlets in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.

Fry the schnitzels until they are golden brown, about four minutes per side, flipping them only once so that the breading will be more likely to stay on.

Watch your schnitzel carefully as it is cooking so that it doesn’t burn.

 

Also swish the cutlets around a little with your fork as you are cooking them to make sure that the schnitzel isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Once a batch of schnitzels is cooked, put them in the oven on the baking sheet while you finish cooking the rest of them.

Serve immediately with slices of fresh lemon and parsley sprigs.

 

 

 

Side Dishes

Obviously, you could have whatever side dishes you want with your schnitzel but there are a few side dishes that are commonly served along with schnitzel at most German restaurants.

Here are a few recipes that you might want to try also…

Sweet, Sweet Sunday

Jaegerschnitzel

Christy
nature grass mushrooms amanita
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Mushrooms…

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.

 

Sweet, Sweet Sunday

Chinese Culinary—Zhejang Campaign

Christy

Zhejiang cuisine tends to be the simplest of all Chinese regional cuisines.

The focus of Zhejiang cuisine seems to be simplicity. The people of the region focus more on serving fresh seasonal produce served crispy, perhaps even raw or almost raw…much like Japanese food….fresh seafood…and

Zhejiang cuisine tends to be fresh, soft, and smooth with a mellow fragrance.,.,, with a good balance between saltiness and umami

Zhejiang cuisine uses a wide variety of cooking methods—including braising, sautéing, stewing, steaming, and deep-frying.

As far as meat, Zhejiang cuisins uses many different varieties of fresh seafood and freshwater fish caught from local rivers.

As far as sauce, Zhejiang cuisine tends to focus on simple marinades—such as a simple mixture of vinegar and sugar—instead of the more complicated sauces and marinades found in other Chinese regional cuisines.

As far as spices, Zhejiang cuisine tends to be lightly seasoned and veer on the salty side..

Examples of foods that you might find include…