Breaded pork cutlets are a popular dish around the world, with variations such as Austrian schnitzel, Polish kotlety schabowy, and Japanese tonkatsu. The meat is pounded thin, dredged in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, and then fried until crispy. It is often served with potatoes, salad, or other side dishes.
A breaded pork cutlet is a cut of pork that has been breaded and fried. It is often eaten as a main meal or sandwiched for lunch. Variants of the breaded pork cutlet exist around the world including the Austrian cutlet, sloppy kotlety from Poland, and Japanese tonkatsu. Schnitzel was first recorded in Vienna in the 1400s, but may have existed around the world before then. Breaded pork cutlets are relatively easy to prepare and come with a wide variety of side dishes.
Pork cutlets can be made with different cuts of pork. Pork chops can be used, but loin cuts are more common. The meat should be fresh and tender, making fillets one of the best cuts. Center portions tend to provide the most tender meat, while scapula cuts are fattest and sirloin cuts are driest.
Traditionally, a breaded pork cutlet is first pounded with a meat hammer. This makes the cut thinner and, therefore, easier to cook. A thin cut will cook faster than a fatter one, meaning the breadcrumbs are less likely to burn.
Once the cutting has been thinned out, it is dredged through three bowls. The first bowl contains flour, the second bowl contains beaten egg and the final bow breadcrumbs. An alternative to breadcrumbs is Japanese panko crumbs. The breaded pork cutlet is then deep-fried or deep-fried in oil until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crispy. The frying process only takes a few minutes, making breaded pork cutlets a quick meal to prepare.
Schnitzel is an Austrian dish from Vienna with variations all over the world. The traditional schnitzel is made with veal, but many variations, including those found in Austria, use pork schnitzel instead. A breaded pork cutlet is usually served with a side of potatoes and salad, but it can also be served with mushrooms, bacon and onions.
Rantott hus is a Hungarian version of the schnitzel that usually uses pork. It is eaten with french fries, rice or mashed potatoes and cucumber salad. Hungarians tend to eat their meat with a sour cream called tejfol or with ketchup and mayonnaise. Rantott Hus is usually eaten as a Sunday meal or for celebrations and special occasions.
Kotlety schabowy is another variant that comes from Poland, although it can precede the schnitzel. Before the pork cutlet is dragged through the flour, egg and breadcrumbs, it is dipped in milk for a few minutes while the oil heats up. It is often served with applesauce or sour cream and with pierogi or side salad.
In Japan, breaded pork cutlet is cut into strips and served with boiled rice, Worcestershire sauce and miso soup to form tonkatsu. As an alternative to Worcestershire sauce, tonkatsu can be served with a miso sauce to make Nagoya miso katsu. Katsudon is a variation of tonkatsu that places sliced pork cutlet on top of rice along with spring onions, grated daikon, and partially cooked omelet.
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