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!
Schnitzel is a common German term relating to a method of cooking. It comes from the Middle High German word snitzel and its diminutive snitz meaning “slice.” In simplest terms, schnitzel refers to thinly sliced meat which is pounded to flatten and tenderize it. This can apply to a variety of proteins.
Wiener schnitzel is a national dish of Austria, and features breaded and fried veal cutlets (Wienerschnitzel). In Germany, most schnitzel is made from pork (Schweineschnitzel) but can also be made with chicken (Hänchenschnitzel). Classic schnitzel is typically accompanied by lemon wedges to squeeze over the top.
Most traditionally, schnitzel (regardless of the protein) is breaded and pan-fried, yielding a crispy exterior and tender, juicy interior. That being said, there are some who prefer an unbreaded version of schnitzel, and you could certainly skip the breading if that’s your jam. For me personally, I think the crunchy breading is what gives the schnitzel its fantastic balance of textures, and I will die on that hill.
A closer look at Jägerschnitzel
There are several classic versions of German schnitzel which feature flavorful sauces poured over the top. The most popular of these is Jägerschnitzel (Hunter’s Schnitzel). Jäger is the German word for hunter, and “hunter” is often used for dishes featuring mushrooms. In this case the schnitzel is topped with a rich mushroom gravy, usually brown or creamy depending the region, preference, etc.
While some like to add bacon to their Jägersoße (Hunter’s Sauce aka the mushroom gravy). This is also a matter of preference, as are some other details like whether to include wine or not, white wine versus red wine, etc.
I personally skip the bacon, and also love to spoon my jägersoße over chicken schnitzel or spätzle (spaetzle) to make jägerspätzle. I highly recommend you try this if you enjoy the mushroom gravy! You can double the recipe and also serve some over your side of spätzle.
Ingredient notes
- Meat: Pounded boneless pork chops are typical for jägerschnitzel, however you could use veal or chicken cutlets if you’d prefer. I also like to trim the fat cap off my pork chops before I pound them.
- Breadcrumbs: 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. Otherwise, plain breadcrumbs will work perfectly fine and get you the most classic results.
- Flour: You’ll need some all-purpose flour for the first step of breading the cutlets, but you’ll also need some for thickening the mushroom gravy. 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.
- Mushrooms: Although you could use plain button mushrooms, I think creminis have better flavor, so that’s what I use. You could also use a combination of mushrooms (whatever you like) for your jägerschnitzel.
- Broth: The gravy is traditionally made with beef broth or stock. That being said, I've made it before with chicken broth when that's all I had on hand and guess what? It was still delicious! Different, but delicious.
- Cream (Optional): 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.
- Oil: Use a neutral-flavored oil such as canola or vegetable oil. The amount you need will depend on the size of your pan. The cutlets do not need to be completely submerged in oil, but the depth of the oil should reach at least halfway or further up the sides. Once you add the cutlets, the depth of the oil will rise a bit.
How to make it
Begin by making the mushroom gravy.
Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms have completely softened. Season with dried thyme and salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat. Add flour and stir to coat the mushrooms.
Then stir in tomato paste. Slowly pour in white wine, stirring constantly to evenly dissolve the flour and tomato paste.
Add beef broth a little at a time, stirring well. Raise heat to bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer 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.
Next, get to work on the schnitzel.
Trim the fat cap off the pork chops and discard. Place pork chops one at a time between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until about ¼-to-½-inch thick.
Repeat with the remaining pork chops. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
Place flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls or containers.
Dredge the pork chops first in the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Set aside on a sheet pan or tray.
Place a rack over a foil-lined sheet pan 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. You may need to cook the schnitzel in batches.
Fry until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.
Transfer to the rack so excess oil can drip off.
Serve schnitzel with mushroom gravy spooned over the top, but don’t completely cover so the jägerschnitzel 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.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
You can make the mushroom gravy in advance and gently reheat it on the stovetop if needed. If it thickens too much when reheating, add a splash of water or broth to thin it back out.
While frying your schnitzel in batches, you may keep the cooked schnitzels warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish cooking the rest.
Serving suggestions
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.
Although I love making homemade spätzle from scratch, I also enjoy the convenience of good quality store-bought dry spätzle like the one they sell at Aldi (it comes from Germany!).
When making my jägerschnitzel, first the mushroom gravy and then the actual schnitzel, it was very helpful to take a shortcut here. After draining the boiled spätzle, in the same pot I melted butter and sautéed a good amount of sliced onions until they were nice and soft, then I added back the drained spätzle and some chopped parsley to finish.
Storage and reheating instructions
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.
Other recipes you may like
- Kasnocken (Austrian Spaetzle with Cheese and Onions)
- Schupfnudeln (German Potato Noodles)
- Himmel und Erde (German Heaven and Earth Potatoes)
- Erdäpfelsalat (Austrian Potato Salad)
- Flammkuchen / Tarte Flambée (German Pizza with Bacon and Onions)
- Milanese Pork with Tomato-Balsamic Sauce
- Thomas Keller's Brined Pork Tenderloin
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Jägerschnitzel (Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy / Hunter's Schnitzel)
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
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
Rose says
Great recipe. Have used it many times for a large group of people. I do the pork chops first and then the gravy in the same pan that I fried the pork chops after draining the oil it saves on dishes.