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Chef Thomas Keller’s Wiener Schnitzel Recipe

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Nov 3, 2024 • 3 min read

Wiener schnitzel—a thin, breaded, and pan-fried veal cutlet—is a Viennese specialty and a staple of Austrian cuisine. It is traditionally served with parsley and lemon.

Here, Michelin-starred Chef Thomas Keller of The French Laundry shares his technique for making a classic wiener schnitzel.

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What Are Varieties of Schnitzel?

Different culinary regions and cultures have given rise to a wide variety of schnitzels, each inviting their own garnishes and sauces. Try different recipes and combinations, and find the ones that you like best.

  • Jägerschnitzel: Also called jager schnitzel, this type of schnitzel is traditionally served with a mushroom sauce (pictured).
  • Chicken-fried steak: Jägerschnitzel’s American poultry-based sibling, chicken-fried steak is served with mushroom gravy (though in the United States, the mushroom sauce is also called a hunter’s sauce).
  • Zigeunerschnitzel: Often accompanied by zigeuner sauce, this German schnitzel is made with tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions.
  • Skinkeschnitzel: In Denmark, a breaded pork schnitzel called skinkeschnitzel often lends itself to a garnish of lemon, capers, horseradish, and anchovy.
  • Floridanleike: The Finnish pork cutlet known as floridanleike is frequently enjoyed with a fried peach and béarnaise sauce.
  • Veal Milanese: An Italian classic, Veal Milanese is often garnished with nothing more than a lemon wedge.

While different traditions have given rise to different kinds of schnitzels, Chef Keller’s focus in his recipe is a traditional wiener schnitzel with a classic garnish of parsley and lemon—a preparation that he hopes will make his Austrian friends proud.

Chef Keller’s Tips for Making the Best Wiener Schnitzel

  • Seasoning the meat directly with salt pulls moisture from the surface, which means you’ll get a thick and heavy coating of flour, so Chef Keller recommends you season the egg wash instead—and season it generously.
  • Instead of buying pre-sliced meat, Chef Keller recommends slicing the veal yourself.
  • It’s better to cut thicker slices and pound them thin rather than cutting thin slices, as pounding tenderizes the meat.
  • Because pounding veal for wiener schnitzel calls for a more forceful motion than pounding chicken breast for chicken paillard, Chef Keller puts the meat inside a sturdy, sealable kitchen bag rather than between layers of plastic wrap.
  • While making your own breadcrumbs is an option, high-quality breadcrumbs are readily available in stores. Look for breadcrumbs that don’t contain any added sugar or flavor. You can also use panko, but pulse it in a food processor to a finer crumb for this application because it is so flaky.
  • Spritz the meat with water to help create an airy layer of separation between the meat and its crispy breadcrumb coating—the mark of a true schnitzel.

Chef Thomas Keller’s Wiener Schnitzel Recipe

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makes

Ingredients

Equipment:

  1. 1

    Place a piece of veal in a large food-grade plastic bag and pound with the spiked side of a meat mallet until it reaches a uniform thickness of about ¼ inch. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining veal. The cutlets can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 12 hours.

  2. 2

    Set up a breading station with three bowls. Put about ½-inch of flour in a shallow bowl wide enough to hold the cutlets. Lightly beat the eggs in a second bowl. Add water to dilute the egg wash—the egg wash should have the viscosity of cream, and season it generously with salt.

  3. 3

    Spread half an inch of breadcrumbs in the third. If you use panko, first pulse in a food processor until finely ground.

  4. 4

    Heat the oil in the sauté pan over high heat until it begins to shimmer. You can adjust heat as needed once you begin cooking.

  5. 5

    Dredge the cutlets, working one at a time. First, spray the cutlet with water. Dip both sides of the cutlet in the flour, patting off any excess. Then dip both sides into the eggs, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Finally, coat both sides with breadcrumbs.

  6. 6

    Add the dredged cutlet to the hot oil and cook for about 1 minute on each side, until crisp and golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to rest. To plate, garnish simply with lemon slices and parsley.

Recipe notes:

  • If preparing larger quantities, cook in batches or use multiple pans to avoid overcrowding—one schnitzel per frying pan. While cooking subsequent batches, keep wiener schnitzels warm on a wire rack over a baking sheet in the oven. This will ensure your schnitzels don’t lose their crispiness.
  • If you want to serve this with a side dish, look for something light, bright, and refreshing with good acid, like Chef Keller’s German potato salad—a classic accompaniment to wiener schnitzel.

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