Best Damn Pork Schnitzel with Creamy Dill Sauce

Get ready to treat yourself to our irresistible, homemade Pork Schnitzel. This restaurant-quality dish features tender, juicy pork on the inside with a delicious, golden crunch on the outside. Top it off with a cool, tangy, creamy dill sauce and it’s a game-changer!

Turn ordinary pork chops into an extraordinary meal with this great dish!

What is Pork Schnitzel?

Pork schnitzel is a classic dish that’s especially popular in German cuisine. It’s made by pounding a pork cutlet, in this case a boneless pork chop, until it’s thin, then coating it in flour, dipped in egg, and covered in breadcrumbs. This process gives the pork a tender inside and a crunchy outer coating. The cutlet is quickly fried to a golden brown. We serve it with a simple, homemade creamy dill sauce that’s the perfect complement to the savory, breaded pork.

Ingredients

For this recipe, we’ll use regular-sized boneless pork loin chops. By regular sized, I mean we don’t want thick cut, nor do we want thin cut. We want the most basic boneless pork chops that are pretty much everywhere on store shelves – generally about ¾″ thick. It doesn’t have to be exact because we’re gonna pound then thin.

The pork chops will get generously seasoned with salt and pepper before we apply a simple breading of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. We’ll add some onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika to the flour for additional flavor.

Our creamy dill sauce (OMG it’s SO good!) is a simple combination of sour cream, dijon mustard, garlic powder, fresh dill, and the juice from 1 lemon. No need to heat or cook the sauce. We mix it together, and it’s ready for our schnitzel!

Preparation

Start by cutting any fat off the pork chops. Most boneless pork chops will have a layer of fat on one side. Just use a sharp knife and cut it off. Then, the fun part – we pound the chops thin. Using a meat mallet, place some plastic wrap over the pork chops and start whacking. Pound them thin to about ¼-inch. Then, season directly with salt and pepper.

Breading station

Now we set up our breading station: 1 large plate of flour mixed with onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika; a bowl with beaten eggs; and a plate with breadcrumbs.

Each piece of pork will get dredged through the flour to lightly coat it (shaking off any excess), then get dunked into the egg (letting any excess drip off), and then into the breadcrumbs. Do each piece individually and then set aside on a plate. Go ahead and press the breading in to help it stick further.

Make the Sauce

Before we get cooking, let’s make the creamy dill sauce. This is very simple, too. In a bowl, mix the sour cream, dijon mustard, garlic powder, fresh dill and lemon juice. Mix it well with a spoon and it’s all done. Set it in the fridge until ready to serve.

Cooking

It’s now time to fry up our breaded pork. In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to cover the bottom. We’ll want about ⅛″ – ¼″ total, which is generally about 1 cup of oil for a standard-sized skillet or pan. The oil needs to be hot! This takes a good 5 minutes or so. You can check the temp with an instant-read thermometer. It should be right around 375°F.

Add the breaded pork in batches – one or two at a time. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until nice and golden brown. Flip and fry another 2-3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

Serving

We’re now ready to enjoy our awesome pork schnitzel. Spoon a couple of dollops of the dill sauce on the schnitzel. You can also squeeze some juice from fresh lemon wedges for additional flavor boost. The schnitzel will be crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. And when you add the coolness of the dill sauce, you have the ultimate combination for pure schnitzel deliciousness!

Goes Well With…

Any kind of potatoes and green vegetables are ideal side dishes for pork schnitzel. Here’s a few of my favorites…

Air Fryer Garlic and Herb Roasted Potatoes: Baby red potatoes are seasoned with a simple mix of garlic and rosemary, then roasted to perfection in your air fryer in about 20 minutes.

Best Damn Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes: The perfect side-dish for any meal, this is perfect to accompany our schnitzel!

Air Fryer Roasted Lemon Pepper Broccoli: Broccoli is amazing when it’s been roasted. The air fryer does an excellent job for this great side-dish.

Storage and Reheating

Pork schnitzel is best when it’s freshly made, with its crispy coating and tender meat. However, if you need to store and reheat it, here’s the best way to do it:

Storing:

1. Cool It Down: Allow the schnitzel to cool to room temperature but no longer than two hours.
2. Refrigerate: Place the schnitzel in an airtight container. If you’re layering the schnitzels, put parchment paper between them to prevent sticking and to help preserve the crust’s texture.
3. Freeze (Optional): If you won’t be eating the schnitzel within 3-4 days, you can freeze it. Wrap each schnitzel individually in plastic wrap, then put it in a zipper bag or an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating:

For the best results, you want to preserve the crispiness of the coating while ensuring the meat is heated through.

1. Refrigerated Schnitzel:
   • Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Place the schnitzel on a wire rack over a baking sheet. This setup allows the heat to circulate around the schnitzel, keeping the bottom from getting soggy. Heat it for about 10-15 minutes, checking periodically to ensure it’s not drying out.
   • Air Fryer: Preheat your air to 400°F. When heated, place schnitzel in basket or air fryer tray and use the air fryer setting for 4-6 minutes or until heated through.
   • Pan Method: Heat a little bit of oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the schnitzel for a couple of minutes on each side until it’s warmed through and crispy again.

Microwaving is not recommended for reheating schnitzel, as it tends to make the coating soggy.

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