Wiener Schnitzel & Veal Milanese (2024)

Wiener Schnitzel & Veal Milanese (1)

Wiener Schnitzel & Veal Milanese (2)

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Serving suggestions.

Lemon wedges, lingonberry jam, parslied potatoes or a green salad tossed in apple cider vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper all pair nicely.

Adaptions

This recipe can be turned into Schweinsschnitzel (pork cutlets), Hendlschnitzel (chicken), Putenschnitzel (turkey), pollo alla Milanese (chicken Milanese), or Orecchia di Elefanta. For the vegans and vegetarians, you can make this recipe with seitan or firm tofu cut thin and egg substitute.

On a recent trip to Vienna, I had a tasty version that was a Schnitzel Cordon Bleu with ham and Bergkäse (mountain cheese) wrapped nicely inside the pounded out pork and fried in the traditional Schnitzel technique.

What makes an excellent Schnitzel?

I have been eating my Schnitzel-way through Austria since I have lived here and I believe my mother-in-law’s Schnitzel to be one of the best.

  1. A perfectly golden wavy, crisp crust that is puffed up from the meat.
  2. Juicy meat that is not dried out.
  3. A wonderful Schnitzel is fried, but never oily.

Tips to get your Schnitzel to “schmeckt sehr lecker.”

The breadcrumbs

Make sure your breadcrumbs are nice and dry. Let them sit out for several days or you can put them in the oven for an hour on the lowest heat. You can make them from various old pieces of bread either grated on a grater or in the food processor, alternatively, you can buy fine breadcrumbs as well. The key to fluffy crust is fine breadcrumbs.

The seasoning

I like to season both the flour and the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper, you can also add paprika to the flour or parmesan to the breadcrumbs.

The technique

Keep the pan gently moving. The point is to get the fat moving on top of the schnitzel, but watch your hands. I have read about techniques to get the puffed crust including brushing the meat with vodka or vinegar, but I think this technique works beautifully.

Wiener Schnitzel & Veal Milanese (5)

The History of the Wiener Schnitzel vs. Veal Milanese

Today, Austria is considered a relatively small country in Europe, but during the Habsburg Empire of the late 19th century, the territory was vast, stretching as far east as modern-day Russia and south to the Adriatic Sea. Due to this expansion, many of these classic Austrian dishes originated in other countries. Gulash and Letscho were created in Hungary, Cevapcici and Palatschinken derive from western Slavic countries, Apfelstrudel stemmed from Turkey, and Wiener Schnitzel from Italy.

The primary difference between the Viennese Schnitzel of Austria and the Cotoletta alla Milanese or Veal Milanese of Italy is the cut of meat. Both are traditionally made from calf and the Milanese comes from the loin with the bone-in, while the schnitzel is without bone and comes from the flank or rump.

Historians believe that the first Cotoletta alla Milanese was served at a banquet organized by monks of Basilico Sant Ambrogio in Milan in 1134. A version without the bone and butterflied is called Orecchia di Elefanta, translated as elephant ear because of its size. This is more closely related to Wiener Schnitzel than to the original.

During a battle in northern Italy in the 19th century, an Austrian general tasted the Cotoletta Alla Milanese and requested the dish be replicated by the chef of Emperor Franz Joseph I. This breaded dish became fashionable and the Viennese rebranded it as their own. They found it makes excellent use of the old white bread (Semmel) in Austria.

The ethos in Austrian kitchens, and now patented and protected in Austrian and German law, is “Wiener Schnitzel” can only be labeled as such if it is made with veal, otherwise, it is simply Schnitzel or specified with poultry or pork. Wiener Schnitzel is the National Dish of Austria and is celebrated on September 9th as National Wiener Schnitzel Day. If you happen to be in Vienna, this is a not to miss dish, but why wait to celebrate this delicious European delicacy when you can eat it at home any day of the year.

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Wiener Schnitzel & Veal Milanese (9)

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Wiener Schnitzel & Veal Milanese (10)

Wiener Schnitzel & Veal Milanese (2024)

FAQs

Wiener Schnitzel & Veal Milanese? ›

Milanese only uses veal chops on the bones, whereas Weiner Schnitzel is usually off the bone and can also be pork (see my recipe for Schnitzel if you want my view why crumbed chicken is not listed). No use of flour for Milanese in the breading process.

What is the difference between Wiener schnitzel and Veal Milanese? ›

The primary difference between the Viennese Schnitzel of Austria and the Cotoletta alla Milanese or Veal Milanese of Italy is the cut of meat. Both are traditionally made from calf and the Milanese comes from the loin with the bone-in, while the schnitzel is without bone and comes from the flank or rump.

Is milanesa the same as schnitzel? ›

(Cotoletta alla) Milanese A dish very similar to the Wiener schnitzel, but fried in butter instead of vegetable oil.

What is Veal Milanese made of? ›

It is traditionally prepared with a veal rib chop or sirloin bone-in and made into a breaded cutlet, fried in butter. Due to its shape, it is often called oreggia d'elefant in Milanese or orecchia d'elefante in Italian, meaning 'elephant's ear'.

What is schnitzel Milanese? ›

Milanese Cotoletta (Milanese after its place of origin, Milan) is a fried cutlet similar to Wiener schnitzel, but cooked “bone-in”.

What meat is Wiener schnitzel? ›

Traditionally, a Wiener Schnitzel is a cutlet of veal pounded thin by a meat tenderizer, then dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs (in that order), and fried until golden.

What do Americans call schnitzel? ›

schnitzel, a thin meat cutlet, pounded until tender and then breaded and fried, that is a culinary staple in German-speaking countries and communities. The Americanized version of the dish is chicken-fried steak.

What is the Italian version of Wiener schnitzel? ›

Italian Cotoletta Milanese appears under different names and styles in many cuisines (Wiener schnitzel in German, for example, and the Mexican milanesa). It's a classic dish that is always a treat when done well. Some restaurants use pounded veal rib steak cooked with the bone intact.

Why is it called Wiener schnitzel? ›

Etymology. The word Wienerschnitzel is German, which was spelled as one word before the spelling reform of 1996. The restaurant's name is a portmanteau of Wiener and Schnitzel, meaning "Viennese" and "cutlet" respectively.

What's the difference between a schnitzel and a Wiener schnitzel? ›

Basically, all schnitzels are breaded and fried thin pieces of meat, but only wiener schnitzel is made with veal. Cooking term: Schnitzel is a cooking term used to describe any meat pounded thin, then breaded and fried. Key ingredient: Schnitzel is made with pork, chicken, beef, or veal.

Why is it called Milanese? ›

Milanese watch bands, called by the Italian town Milan, where they originate from. Milanese mesh straps are known by the unique design of the mesh work, which gives the distinctive look to any watch they're combined with. The design can be traced back far to the 13th century, when it was used as a special chain-mail.

What do Italians call veal? ›

Veal in Italy. “If you are in Milan and you're talking about veal, then you are only ever talking about vitello da late, la carne bianca, bianca alla Milanese!”

Why is veal so pink? ›

However, calves in this segment are aged from 8 to 12 months and have a live body weight of 320 - 380 kg. This fattening process results in meat with a lighter colour than that of older bull meat. This is why it is called pink veal.

What do Italians call schnitzel? ›

In Italy they call schnitzel cotoletta alla Milanese, and it is traditionally served with a wedge of lemon and finely shredded radicchio. The first record of the dish is on an 1134 menu for a feast at Milan's cathedral.

Is schnitzel the same as milanesa? ›

One of the key differences in these two dishes is that while wiener schnitzel always uses boneless cutlets, Veal Milanese traditionally uses a bone-in cut from the loin, though boneless is still common and acceptable.

What is another name for Wiener Schnitzel? ›

A schnitzel made of pork can be called Wiener Schnitzel vom Schwein ('Wiener schnitzel from pork') or Schnitzel Wiener Art ('Viennese style schnitzel'). Similar dishes to Wiener schnitzel include Surschnitzel (from cured meat), and breaded turkey or chicken steaks.

What's the difference between a schnitzel and a wienerschnitzel? ›

Basically, all schnitzels are breaded and fried thin pieces of meat, but only wiener schnitzel is made with veal. Cooking term: Schnitzel is a cooking term used to describe any meat pounded thin, then breaded and fried. Key ingredient: Schnitzel is made with pork, chicken, beef, or veal.

What is the Italian version of wiener schnitzel? ›

Italian Cotoletta Milanese appears under different names and styles in many cuisines (Wiener schnitzel in German, for example, and the Mexican milanesa). It's a classic dish that is always a treat when done well. Some restaurants use pounded veal rib steak cooked with the bone intact.

What are the two types of schnitzel? ›

The dish's name actually comes from the German word schnitt, which translates to "cut." The most popular type of meat for schnitzel is veal (wiener-schnitzel) or pork (schweine-schnitzel), but you also see varieties made with chicken (hänchen-schnitzel), or turkey (puten-schnitzel).

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