Master your way to crunchy schnitzel
Flour, egg, breadcrumbs – a revered trinity that is fried together to create a golden crispy coating. It is the latter that is supposed to protect the ingredients from the hot fat and allow them to cook in their own juices. The breadcrumbs are responsible for the process, and when they come into contact with the hot fat, they retract and firm up so much that a pocket forms between the main ingredient and its coating. This traps the steam which is released from the frying meat, fish or vegetables, helping them retain their wonderful juiciness. Here's everything you need to know:
1. Choose semi-coarse flour – smooth flour is too fine, as it sticks to the egg and does not provide a sufficient base for the breadcrumbs.
2. The eggs should be be beaten only lightly (using a fork or your fingers) so that they aren't too runny and run slowly down the fork, as if in strings.
3. Don't salt the eggs! It would cause them to separate and become runny, meaning they won't set and won't hold the breadcrumbs. In order to make the breadcrumbs stick better, leave the meat or cheese to drain after coating in the egg. According to the pros, you shouldn't salt the breadcrumbs either – the ground bread is salty in itself!
4. In Lokál pubs, the eidam for fried cheese is coated in flour, then eggs and finally in a mixture of flour and breadcrumbs. It then combines better with the eggs.
5. Whether the breadcrumbs are fine or coarse, they should be be ground evenly or sifted and get rid of any large fragments. Crumbs of varying sizes make frying difficult – the breadcrumbs aren't loose enough and will form lumps. These fry more quickly and can cause dark spots.
6. Before frying, preheat the oven to 120 °C! The schnitzels should be fried until golden, then placed on a rack and cooked for about 20 minutes to ensure they are properly juicy. Slide a baking tray underneath the grill, to catch extra fat which would otherwise moisten the schnitzels and cause the breadcrumb coating to peel off.
7. Place the schnitzels (or other breadcrumbed ingredients) in the into hot fat, ideally lard or high smoke point butter. The temperature depends on the type and thickness of the meat – a thicker poultry steak takes a little longer to heat up and is therefore fried at a lower temperature than a veal steak, which usually releases more juices and should therefore be fried on high heat.
8. Keep sifting the breadcrumbs whilst you're coating the schnitzel – especially if you are going to fry in bulk. As soon as the egg drops into it, lumps will form in the mixture, which harden and can burn when fried.
9. Try basting the finished steaks with brown butter and herbs, or clarified butter with lemon juice and capers! Alternatively, elevate your schnitzel with cream: after frying, pour the cream (33%) into the pan, add salt and pepper and return the schnitzels to the pan, letting them bubble, and serve straight away! The breadcrumbs take on the flavour of the cream without getting soggy, and give a nice softness.
Source: Ambiente chefs
