Foolproof Wiener Schnitzel 

• Secret # 1.  After coating with flour, eggs & crumbs, let the veal sit for ten to fifteen minutes before frying.

• Secret #2. Never turn the pieces cooking in the pan with a spatula, use tongs.  

Use good quality veal, thinly sliced. Plan on serving 2 to 3 pieces per person,  make the pieces 4 x 4 inches. You can make them bigger for young and hearty eaters. 

With a flat instrument mash or pound the pieces quite thin, about 1/8 to 3/16 inch thick. The meat is moist, just like most fresh meat. Salt it and pepper it lightly.  Then lay it in a plate of flour to powder it. Flour both sides.

  Pass this floured, thin piece of veal through a shallow bowl of freshly beaten eggs. Let it drip a few seconds  ( 5-15 ) and lay the piece onto a shallow plate of bread crumbs. 

Flip it over with fingers or tongs to cover both sides.  Let the piece rest on a non-stick surface for 10 to 15 minutes before frying. Fry in a large flat skillet using good quality cooking oil. Olive oil is too aromatic for me. I use corn oil or canola oil flavored with a little butter. Make the oil about 1/4 inch thick in the skillet. 

Fry the prepared veal slices about 2 minutes per side, until they are golden or biscuit brown. Place on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Serve at once, possibly with a sliver of sliced lemon. They can be kept warm in a  180 deg. oven up to half an hour.

Jim Hirschman

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