Jägerschnitzel, or Hunter’s Schnitzel, is a popular German dish of fried pork cutlets topped with luscious mushroom gravy. With a crispy crust and tender, juicy interior, schnitzel just can’t be beat. Finishing it with a classic jägersoße (hunter’s sauce) is one of the best ways to enjoy it!
Ingredients
Mushroom Gravy:
▢2 tablespoons unsalted butter
▢¼ cup finely chopped onion
▢2 cloves garlic minced or crushed
▢1 pound (455 grams) cremini mushrooms sliced
▢¾ teaspoon dried thyme
▢Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
▢3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
▢2 teaspoons tomato paste
▢½ cup white wine
▢2 cups beef broth
▢2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
Schnitzel:
▢6 boneless pork chops (about 7.5 ounces / 215 grams per chop untrimmed or 2 ¾ pounds total)
▢Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
▢½ cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour
▢2 large eggs beaten
▢1 ¼ cups (150 grams) plain breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs
▢Canola, vegetable, or other neutral-tasting oil for frying
▢Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
Mushroom Gravy:
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have completely softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with dried thyme and salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the flour and stir to coat the mushrooms, cooking for about 30 to 60 seconds. Then stir in the tomato paste. Slowly pour in the white wine, stirring constantly to evenly dissolve the flour and tomato paste, and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. It will still be quite thick.
Add the beef broth, a little at a time, stirring well until smooth. Raise heat to bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the gravy has thickened. Stir in the cream to finish, if using. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Cover and keep the gravy warm until ready to serve. You can also gently reheat it if needed. If it thickens too much when reheating, add a splash of water or broth to thin it back out.
Schnitzel:
Trim the fat cap off the pork chops and discard. Place the pork chops one at a time between two sheets of plastic wrap on a large cutting board. Pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until about ¼-to-½-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining pork chops. Season pounded pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place the flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls or containers. Dredge the seasoned pounded pork chops first in the flour (gently shaking off excess), then the egg (let extra egg drip off), and finally the breadcrumbs (very gently shaking off excess). Make sure both sides are evenly coated during each step. Set aside on a sheet pan or tray.
Place a rack over a foil-lined sheet pan (for easy cleanup) and set it next to your stove. Add about ⅛-to-¼-inch oil to a deep heavy skillet and heat over medium-high heat (the depth will rise once you add the schnitzel to the pan). If you have a deep-fry thermometer, check the temperature–it should be 350°F (177°C). Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the schnitzel in batches.
Fry the schnitzels for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Transfer the fried schnitzels to the rack so excess oil can drip off. This will help keep the schnitzels crispy. You may keep the cooked schnitzels warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish cooking the rest of the pork cutlets.
Serve schnitzel with mushroom gravy spooned over the top, but don’t completely cover the schnitzel so it still remains crispy. You can also pour a small amount on top and serve the rest on the side. Finish with a garnish of chopped parsley.
Notes
Pounded boneless pork chops are typical for jägerschnitzel, however you could use veal or chicken cutlets if you’d prefer.
Plain breadcrumbs are the traditional breading for schnitzel, however I’m not gonna lie. Using panko yields a much crispier schnitzel! If you’re ok with veering from tradition, try the panko.
I like my gravy on the thicker side, but you could use less flour for a thinner gravy if you prefer. You can also thin out the gravy with a bit more broth as needed if it thickens too much.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to the jägersoße or hunter’s gravy–some make a brown gravy while others opt for a creamy gravy. This is your call. Add the cream if you want, or skip it.
Traditionally, jägerschnitzel is served with spaetzle or french fries, but other potato-based side dishes are great too. Consider boiled or mashed potatoes, potato salad, or schupfnudeln (German potato dumplings)–not typical sides but they’ll totally work! You could also serve some cucumber salad or a green salad on the side to add some veggies.
Fried foods are always best served immediately, however if you have leftovers you can store them in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days. Store the leftover gravy separately.
To reheat jägerschnitzel, ideally do it in an air fryer at 400°F for about 6 to 7 minutes. If you don’t have an air fryer, arrange the leftover schnitzels on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and heat in the oven at 400°F for about 10 to 15 minutes, flipping over halfway through for even crisping.
Reheat leftover mushroom gravy in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring regularly and adding a few splashes of beef broth or water to thin it back out if it thickens too much.
Nutrition
Calories: 591kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g
