Classic German Jagerschnitzel Recipe

Preparing classic German recipes at home may seem daunting if you're not accustomed to it, but it's simpler than you think to prepare comforting German dishes right in your own kitchen. Even if you're not familiar with German fare, you've probably heard of schnitzel, which is thinly pounded boneless pork chops which have been breaded and fried. Jagerschnitzel takes a classic schnitzel and smothers it in creamy mushroom gravy, delivering a satisfying and hearty dish that is sure to hit the spot.

Recipe developer Laura Sampson hopes that home cooks won't be daunted by the number of steps in her Jagerschnitzel recipe, since she assures us that it's actually very simple. "While the recipe feels rather hard to tackle because it has a lot of steps in the end it's a very simple dish to make," Sampson says, adding, "And fresh schnitzel is always worth it!!" And once you're tucking into a plate of crisp schnitzel covered in rich mushroom gravy, we're sure you'll agree.

While this recipe has a lot of steps, the ingredients are pretty straightforward, affordable, and easily found in your local grocery store. The main ingredients in this Jagerschnitzel recipe are, of course, boneless pork loin chops and sliced mushrooms. You'll also need chopped cooked bacon, chopped onion, all-purpose flour, vegetable broth, heavy cream, milk, an egg, panko breadcrumbs, thyme (Sampson uses dried, although fresh will also work), fresh chopped parsley, unsalted butter, vegetable oil, salt, and pepper.

While pork is what is called for in a classic schnitzel, Sampson says you can always substitute thin cuts of chicken breast or beef if that's more to your liking.

Once you've got your ingredients assembled and prepped, it's time to start on the gravy. In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and saute it for a couple minutes, until the onion is soft. 

After the onion is soft, add the bacon to the skillet and cook for another minute or two, allowing the flavors to combine. Then add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and stir them around, cooking for another couple minutes until the mushrooms begin to cook down and release their liquid.

It shouldn't take long until the mushrooms begin to cook down and release liquid. At this point, you can add in the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter, then stir until it melts. Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the mushrooms and stir until it's incorporated into the liquid, forming a paste.

Combine the cream and broth and pour it over the mushrooms, stirring continually. Gradually, the flour will combine with the liquid and the gravy will begin to thicken. Once the flour paste seems to be fully incorporated into the liquid, reduce the heat to low and stir in the thyme. Allow the gravy to continue to simmer on low while you prepare the schnitzel, stirring occasionally.

If you have any aggression to work out, now's your chance. While you heat a about ½ cup of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat, it's time to give the pork chops their classic thinness. Lay them out on a sheet of parchment paper and pound them with a meat mallet, turning periodically to make sure they're even, until they're about ⅓ of an inch thick. If you don't have a meat mallet, a rolling pin covered in plastic wrap or even a plastic bag will work well. Once your meat is nice and thin, it's time to coat it with the breading mixture that will give the schnitzel its characteristic crunch.

The trick to creating a crispy crust on your meat that won't fall off is all in the three-stage breading technique. First, mix ½ teaspoon salt with the remaining flour and put on a plate or shallow bowl. Add the panko to another plate or shallow bowl, and then beat together the egg and 1 tablespoon of milk in a third bowl. Line up your bowls to form an assembly line, progressing from flour to egg to breadcrumbs.

Now it's time to make the breading magic happen. Start by dredging your pork chops in the flour, pressing to make sure they're evenly coated, then shake off the excess. Dip the floured pork chops in the egg, and then lastly dip them in the breadcrumbs, again making sure to turn and press them to make sure they're evenly coated all over.

By this time, your oil should be hot. You want your oil to reach a temperature of between 340-350 F, but if you don't have a kitchen thermometer in order to gauge the temperature of your oil, Sampson offers an easy workaround. "While a thermometer is the best way to know if your oil is hot you can always look for the shimmer," Sampson says. "When the oil is shimmering it is hot enough. But you have to be careful because you go right past hot to too hot and your schnitzel will burn before it cooks."

Lay the breaded pork chops in the pan and shallow fry them for around 2-4 minutes, then flip them over and repeat until the pork chops are cooked through and the breading is browned and crispy. Remove the schnitzel from the pan and allow it to drain on a baking rack placed over a baking sheet, although if you don't have a baking rack, Sampson says you can use a paper towel-lined plate, or even a paper bag.

After you've fried up your schnitzel, it's time to check on your mushroom gravy and make sure it's ready to serve. If it has thickened too much while you cooked the schnitzel, you can stir in the remaining tablespoon of milk until it reaches the right consistency. Stir in the fresh chopped parsley, along with salt and pepper to taste. Start with a small amount and add more as needed, since you can always add more, but it's impossible to take any away.

All that's left to do at this point is plate up your Jagerschnitzel and enjoy! To serve, place one schnitzel on a plate, then spoon a generous portion of the mushroom gravy over the top, so that diners will be able to get a forkful of mushrooms in every bite of schnitzel. As a side dish, Sampson says, "I think a nice pasta or fresh mashed potatoes would be perfect." And if you go with mashed potatoes, the mushroom gravy would make a tasty topping for those as well.