Pork Schnitzel with Potatoes and Cucumber Salad Recipe
Pork schnitzel (kotlet schabowy) is the king of the Polish Sunday table. A thinly pounded piece of pork loin in a crispy coating, served with potatoes and creamy cucumber salad (mizeria), is the Polish answer to Viennese schnitzel. Simple, filling and very homely – perfect when you want to feel like you’re having lunch at your mum’s.
Pork schnitzel with potatoes and cucumber salad is the essence of a Polish Sunday dinner, where a crunchy coating meets a juicy centre of meat. The contrast between the hot, salty pork and the cool, slightly tangy cucumber salad means the plate is never monotonous. This dish also has its own ritual – pounding the meat, breading and frying usually turn the kitchen into a small “production line” before a family gathering.
Chef's tips
Pound the pork through cling film or a bag until it’s as thin as for a minced-meat patty – this way the coating will be super crispy and the meat will cook quickly without drying out. I always pat the slices very dry with paper towel before breading; otherwise the breadcrumbs come off in sheets. Fry in well-heated fat (ideally a mix of clarified butter and oil), but not on maximum heat – the schnitzel should brown evenly, not burn at the edges.
How to serve
Serve with mashed potatoes with butter and dill and a big bowl of cucumber salad – in my home this set is always the first to disappear at family dinners. To drink, apple compote or a light beer works great if you’re making Sunday lunch for a larger group. Pork schnitzel is also perfect as a “second meal” for Monday – reheated in a dry pan it’s great in a sandwich with pickled cucumber.
Ingredients
- boneless pork loin 4 slices of about 150 g each - 600 g
- egg - 2 piece
- flour for breading - 4 tablespoon
- breadcrumbs for breading - 6 tablespoon
- salt for the meat, potatoes and cucumber salad
- pepper for the meat and cucumber salad
- oil for frying, can be mixed with 1–2 tablespoons of lard - 100 ml
- potatoes for serving - 800 g
- fresh cucumber large salad cucumbers - 2 piece
- cream for the cucumber salad - 150 g
- fresh dill chopped - 2 tablespoon
- sugar for the cucumber salad, optional - 0.5 teaspoons
Preparation
- Peel the potatoes, cut into pieces, cover with cold water, lightly salt and start cooking. From the moment they come to the boil, cook for 15–20 minutes until tender.
- Rinse the pork slices and pat dry with paper towel. Place each slice between two pieces of cling film or in a bag and pound with a meat mallet to about 5 mm thickness. Try not to tear the meat.
- Season the pounded cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside for a few minutes.
- Prepare three plates: put flour on the first, crack the eggs onto the second and beat with a fork, and put breadcrumbs on the third.
- Coat each cutlet first in flour (shake off the excess), then dip in egg, and finally coat thoroughly in breadcrumbs, pressing the coating in with your hand.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan (it should cover the bottom in a thin layer). When the oil is hot (a pinch of breadcrumbs dropped in should sizzle immediately), lay in the cutlets.
- Fry the cutlets over medium heat for 4–5 minutes on each side, until the coating is golden and crispy and the meat inside is cooked through. If the fat starts to burn, reduce the heat or add a little fresh oil.
- While the cutlets are frying, prepare the cucumber salad: wash the cucumbers and peel them if the skin is tough. Slice into thin rounds, transfer to a bowl, lightly salt and set aside for 5 minutes until they release some juice.
- Add cream or yogurt, chopped dill, a pinch of pepper and sugar if you like your cucumber salad slightly sweet. Mix. If it’s too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of the cucumber juice.
- Drain the cooked potatoes; you can add a knob of butter and mash them lightly so they’re fluffier.
- Place the fried cutlets on a plate lined with paper towel to drain off excess fat.
- Serve the hot cutlets with potatoes and a generous portion of cucumber salad.
Storage
Store leftover schnitzels in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a dry pan or in the oven so the coating stays as crispy as possible. Potatoes are best eaten the same day; cucumber salad is not suitable for freezing or long storage.
