Pork Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy, Made from Scratch

Pork schnitzel is a Central European cutlet tradition especially associated with Austria and Germany; this pork version is a familiar variation on the veal-based Wiener Schnitzel. Here, thin breaded cutlets are fried until crisp and served with a savory mushroom gravy, a hearty pairing found in many home-style versions.

Ingredients

4 boneless pork loin chops or cutlets, about 1½ lb (680 g) total, or 5–6 oz (140–170 g) each
1 tsp (5 g) fine salt, divided
½ tsp (1 g) ground black pepper, divided
½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
2 large eggs (about 100 g without shells)
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
1½ cups (150 g) fine, dry breadcrumbs
¾ cup (180 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower oil, for shallow frying; you may not use all of it
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
8 oz (225 g) cremini or white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
½ cup (75 g) finely chopped yellow onion
1 small garlic clove (about 3 g), finely chopped
2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour, for the gravy
1½ cups (360 ml) low-sodium chicken broth or pork broth
⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream
1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving if desired
1 lemon, cut into wedges (about 60 g), for serving

Instructions

Prepare the cutlets and ingredients. Put each pork chop between two pieces of baking parchment or plastic wrap. Pound with the flat side of a meat mallet or a sturdy small pan until each piece is about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, working from the center toward the edges. Trim ragged edges if needed. Pat the pork dry and season both sides with about ¾ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Set out three shallow dishes: put the first ½ cup flour in one, whisk the eggs with the water in the second, and put the breadcrumbs in the third. Slice the mushrooms and chop the onion, garlic, and parsley before cooking.
Make the mushroom gravy. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and begun to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the 2 tablespoons of gravy flour and stir for about 1 minute so the flour coats the vegetables. Pour in the broth gradually while whisking, scraping the base of the pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until lightly thickened. Stir in the cream and Worcestershire sauce; simmer for 1 minute without letting the gravy boil hard. Season with the remaining salt and pepper to taste, stir in the parsley, and keep the gravy warm over very low heat while you fry the pork.
Bread the pork. Work with one cutlet at a time. Coat it lightly in flour, shake off the excess, dip it in the egg mixture, and let extra egg drip back into the dish. Press it into the breadcrumbs on both sides, including the edges, without crushing the crumbs flat. Set the breaded cutlets on a clean tray in a single layer. Keep the coating dry and avoid stacking the pieces, which can make the crumbs damp and patchy.
Fry in batches. Pour enough oil into a large heavy skillet to cover the base by about ¼ inch (6 mm), using some of the measured oil as needed. Heat over medium to medium-high until the oil reaches about 350°F (175°C); if you do not have a frying thermometer, a few breadcrumbs should sizzle steadily when dropped in. Fry two cutlets at a time, without crowding, for about 2–3 minutes per side, turning once, until the coating is deep golden and crisp. Adjust the heat if the crumbs darken too quickly. Transfer cooked cutlets to a wire rack set over a sheet pan, then fry the remaining pieces, adding a little oil if the pan looks dry.
Check doneness and serve. Check the thickest part of each cutlet with a food thermometer; the USDA FSIS safe minimum for whole cuts of pork is 145°F (63°C), followed by a 3-minute rest. Rest the cutlets on the rack for at least those 3 minutes so the juices settle and the bottom stays crisp. Taste the gravy and loosen it with a splash of broth if it has thickened too much. Serve the pork promptly with the gravy spooned alongside or over just one edge of each cutlet, plus lemon wedges.

Tips

Pound evenly. Thin, even cutlets cook quickly and are easier to eat, but pounding too hard can tear the meat. If the chops are thick, butterfly them first with a sharp knife, then pound gently to the same thickness.
Keep the coating light. Shake off extra flour and egg before breading. A thick, wet layer tends to slide off in the pan. Fine, dry breadcrumbs give a close, traditional-style crust; panko works as a substitute, but makes a coarser, more craggy coating that may need another minute to brown.
Fry at a steady temperature. If the oil is too cool, the crumbs absorb oil and turn greasy; if it is too hot, the crust can brown before the pork reaches its safe temperature. Fry in batches and let the oil recover between them. A thermometer makes both the oil and pork checks more dependable.
Keep the crust crisp. Drain the cutlets on a wire rack rather than piling them on a plate, where trapped steam softens the underside. Keep gravy on the side until serving if you expect leftovers or want the crust to stay crisp.

Serving Suggestions

For a classic Central European-style plate, serve the schnitzel with boiled or buttered potatoes, potato salad, or warm spaetzle, and offer the mushroom gravy in a small jug so each person can choose how much to add. A crisp green salad dressed with vinegar cuts through the richness, while steamed green beans, peas, or braised red cabbage make the meal more substantial. Lemon wedges are worth including even with gravy: a squeeze over the exposed crust gives the pork a fresh, tart contrast.

If you are serving several people, arrange the cutlets on a warm platter in a single layer and keep the gravy separate. Avoid covering the pork tightly, because the trapped steam softens the breading. A simple side of crusty bread is useful for the extra gravy, but the meal is complete without a complicated set of sides.

Variations

Use a different mushroom. Cremini and white button mushrooms are easy to find and make a mild gravy. Shiitake mushrooms have a deeper, woodsy flavor; remove their tough stems before slicing. If using dried porcini, soak ½ oz (14 g) in hot water for about 20 minutes, chop them, and strain the soaking liquid through a fine filter before using part of it in place of broth. Dried mushrooms add a concentrated savory flavor, so start with a small amount of that liquid and taste as you go.

Adjust the sauce. For a lighter gravy, replace the cream with ⅓ cup (80 ml) whole milk; the sauce will be less rich and slightly thinner. For a dairy-free version, use a neutral oil instead of butter and unsweetened oat cream or additional broth in place of heavy cream. The flavor and texture will be different, but the mushroom-and-broth base still works. If you want a tangier finish, stir in 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Dijon mustard after the cream.

Change the cutlet or crumbs. Boneless pork sirloin cutlets can replace loin chops if pounded to an even thickness. Veal is the traditional meat in Wiener Schnitzel, while chicken breast makes a different but practical variation; poultry must reach 165°F (74°C) rather than the pork temperature. Panko crumbs can be used for more texture, though the result is less even and the coating may look less like a fine-crumb schnitzel.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate cooked pork and gravy within 2 hours of cooking. Store them in separate airtight containers for 3–4 days; keeping the sauce apart helps the breading avoid becoming soggy. For longer storage, freeze the cutlets and gravy separately for up to 2–3 months for best quality. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator rather than on the counter.

To reheat the cutlets, place them on a wire rack over a sheet pan in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10–15 minutes, turning once if needed, until hot throughout and crisp again. Timing varies with thickness and whether the cutlets are cold or partly frozen, so check the center with a food thermometer: leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C). Reheat gravy in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring often; add a spoonful of broth or water if it has become too thick. Avoid reheating the pork submerged in gravy, since the coating will soften.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pork tenderloin for schnitzel?

Yes. Cut the tenderloin crosswise into medallions, then pound each piece to about ¼ inch (6 mm). Tenderloin is lean and works well, though its medallions may be smaller than cutlets made from loin chops. Cook them in batches and use a thermometer rather than relying on color alone.

Can I make the mushroom gravy without cream?

Yes. Leave out the cream and use broth for a lighter, more savory gravy, or add a little extra broth to reach the consistency you like. The sauce will not be as silky or rich. You can also finish it with a small spoonful of sour cream off the heat, but do not boil the sauce after adding it or it may separate.

Can the pork be breaded ahead of time?

For the crispest result, bread the cutlets shortly before frying. If you need to get ahead, bread them up to about 1 hour in advance, arrange them in one layer on a tray, and refrigerate uncovered so the coating does not become wet from condensation. Do not leave raw, breaded pork at room temperature while preparing other dishes.

How do I know when a thin cutlet is done?

Color and cooking time are not reliable safety checks because cutlets vary in thickness and skillet heat. Insert a food thermometer sideways into the thickest part of each piece. Whole cuts of pork need to reach 145°F (63°C) and then rest for 3 minutes; thin pieces can be tricky to measure, so use a suitable instant-read thermometer and check carefully.

Can I bake schnitzel instead of frying it?

You can, but the texture will not be quite the same: oven-baked crumbs are usually drier and less evenly crisp than a shallow-fried crust. Brush or spray the breaded cutlets lightly with oil, arrange them on a rack over a sheet pan, and bake at 425°F (220°C), turning once, until golden and the pork reaches its safe temperature. The time depends on thickness and oven performance, so check with a thermometer rather than assuming a fixed bake time.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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