Wienerschnitzel Recipe

Prepare and tenderize

If steaks are thicker than 1/4 inch, place each between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet until about 1/4 inch thick and even. Pat dry with paper towels.

Season and set up dredging stations

Place flour in a shallow dish and season with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. In a second shallow dish, whisk eggs with milk until combined. If using breadcrumbs, put them in a third shallow dish. Season the steaks lightly on both sides with remaining salt and pepper.

Dredge steaks

Working one at a time, lightly coat a steak in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Dip into the egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then press into breadcrumbs if using, or return to flour for a classic lightly floured Wienerschnitzel. Place on a wire rack while you heat the pan.

Pan-fry

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbs butter and 2 tbs oil. When the fat is shimmering (but not smoking), add steaks in a single layer (do not crowd; do in batches if needed). Fry until golden brown, about 2–3 minutes per side for thin steaks. Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning. Transfer cooked steaks to a warm plate and tent with foil.

Keep warm

Return skillet to medium heat, wipe out any burnt bits but leave browned fond for the sauce. Add 1 tbs butter if the pan looks dry.

Sauté shallot: Add 2 tbs unsalted butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and sauté until softened and translucent, about 1–2 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pan.

Deglaze with wine: Pour in the white wine (or vermouth) and bring to a simmer. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all browned bits. Reduce by about half, 3–4 minutes.

Add stock and reduce: Add the beef (or chicken) stock and simmer until the sauce reduces and slightly thickens, about 6–8 minutes, until you have roughly 1 to 1 1/4 cups sauce and it coats the back of a spoon.

Finish sauce: Stir in the lemon juice, capers, and Dijon mustard. Remove pan from heat and whisk in the cold butter pieces one at a time to emulsify and slightly thicken the sauce. Taste and season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper (adjust to taste). Keep warm but do not boil after adding butter to preserve gloss.

Optional straining: For a very smooth brown sauce, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan and return to low heat; add the capers back in if you strained them out.

Plate the steaks: Place a warmed steak on each plate. Spoon the brown caper sauce over the steaks, or serve the sauce alongside in a gravy boat.

Garnish: Sprinkle chopped parsley and a few extra capers over the sauce and place a lemon wedge alongside each steak. For breakfast style, top each steak with a fried egg and serve with toast or hash. For lunch style, serve with boiled potatoes, potato salad, or a simple green salad.

Serve immediately: Wienerschnitzel is best hot. Encourage squeezing fresh lemon over the meat just before eating to brighten flavors.